Energy drives both social and economic development, constituting the lifeblood of human activities and a critical infrastructure upon which we continually depend. But the current energy system is unsustainable due to its overwhelming reliance on finite fossil fuels, which are responsible for the overwhelming majority of greenhouse gas emissions, causing local environmental degradation and global climate change. Transitioning to a sustainable energy system guaranteeing at the same time energy security and affordability is a massive and complex challenge, involving diverse and interconnected measures, and partly conflicting and competing objectives.

Research in IEPE on energy covers many different themes:

• Energy systems integration and sector coupling
• Resource assessment methods for low-carbon technologies
• Holistic techno-economic, environmental and social assessment of energy technologies and systems
• Long-term energy system scenario planning and analysis
• Renewable energy carriers
• Electrical energy conversion into fuels
• Advanced nuclear energy technologies
• New materials for batteries and electro-​catalysis to improve performance, cost, efficiency and safety
• Cooling and thermal management
• Performance and reliability of wind energy enhancement
• CO₂ capture, hydrogen production, biomass conversion
• Energy conversion and transport