Mr Paul Graham.

Understanding and planning energy futures

By developing models about future energy needs and impacts, CSIRO is helping industry and governments make decisions about energy technologies and reducing emissions.

2 June 2009 | Updated 3 April 2013

Planning a sustainable future in energy
CSIRO's future forums

No single energy solution will solve the current global energy puzzle.

Issues like changing demand, greenhouse gas abatement policy, resource price uncertainty, emerging technologies and social acceptability create a complex strategic arena with multiple drivers.

Consequently, delivering energy solutions for a sustainable future is a huge challenge but with decision support and by expanding the information base for decision-making this task becomes easier.

While CSIRO develops a range of technical and scientific solutions for the energy industry we also apply an integrated modelling approach to examine the implications of pursuing alternative technology paths.

Our energy modelling provides a foundation for research into energy technologies and behaviours, and helps to give Australia a clearer picture of what it needs to do to address the energy challenge.

Planning a sustainable future in energy

Our research looks at understanding the technology options for the Australian energy sector over the next 20 to 50 years, with a focus on:

No single energy solution will solve the current global energy puzzle.

understanding how and when emerging technologies may play a role in the energy sector
whole of supply chain analysis of the electricity and transport sectors from resources through to end-use
developing and testing theories of technological change
developing innovative modelling approaches to improve our understanding of new market paradigms.

We create and assess scenarios using a variety of modelling approaches, focusing primarily on the electricity and transport sector.

We work with partners from industry, government and community groups to identify plausible scenarios and develop innovative modelling approaches to determine implications for the economy, energy prices, technology uptake, greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental indicators.

CSIRO's future forums

A key component of this research program has been CSIRO’s future forums.

Since 2005, five futures forum’s have been held, each a sector wide initiative that brings together diverse groups of Australia’s leading energy and transport stakeholders to identify plausible scenarios and their implications for the nation’s energy future.

They include: