Ongoing work
Electrification of freight and high usage transport
Most research on electric vehicles (EV) deployment and policy till date has been focused on privately owned cars. In several recent publications, [10-13] I have argued that the economic, environmental, and equity case for supporting the deployment of freight and commercial vehicles is much stronger. I have several working papers assessing the techno-economic case for electrifying trucking, diesel-electric trains, and buses
Low cost storage and power sector de–carbonization
Most research on deep de-carbonization of the power sector has yet to assess the impact of the decline in battery storage costs on the cost and feasibility of de-carbonization and the value of competing resources such as demand response (DR), transmission, and energy efficiency given battery storage cost declines. Over the past two years, I have led the development building of core capability (and related data) for detailed power system simulation and optimization which can comprehensively assess the opportunities and challenges created by declining cost of storage.[1] I have also led a study to assess 90% de-carbonization of the power sector in California using PV, wind, and battery storage.
Energy efficiency for enabling electricity access:Characterized and demonstrated how energy efficiency can enable electricity access
I led some of the first studies to characterize the potential for dramatically improving the energy efficiency of devices typically used by poor households and how energy efficiency can enable electricity access. [1-4] I demonstrated that a super-efficient home energy system with a small TV, light, and a fan can be powered with just 25 watts and can dramatically reduce the cost of providing electricity access. I also characterized how energy efficiency can reduce the financial disincentive for electric utilities to extend electricity access. We used these studies as a basis to work with US Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of State (DOS) to initiate a large multi-lateral international program under the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) focused on making energy efficiency an integral part of electricity access programs.
Geospatial analysis of renewable resource potential in emerging economies:Showed that wind energy potential in India is orders of magnitude higher than previously estimated
I conceptualized and led studies which significantly improved the understanding of renewable energy potential in emerging economies (including a publication in PNAS). [5-8] The most significant of these has been a study that I led which showed that the wind energy potential in India is more than 30 times than previously assessed. This LBL report has been highly cited in the scientific literature and in the media and contributed to Government of India (GOI) updating their wind potential estimate by an order of magnitude and establishing a higher target for wind energy capacity (60 GW by 2022 and 150 GW by 2030). I can get references from senior policy makers in India to attest the fact this study was highly influential. This study opened up new funding opportunities for us to make additional contributions in this area.
Space cooling demand and energy efficiency in India
I led one of the first studies to identify the impending dramatic increase of space cooling demand in India and opportunities for energy efficiency that has the potential to save about 100 large power plants by 2030.[9] I used this study to conceptualize a new initiative “US-India Space Cooling Collaboration” to provide technical assistance to Government of India on space cooling efficiency (which was funded by the US State Dept. for five years at about $2,000,000 which I led as a PI) which contributed to increasing the stringency of air conditioner standards in India. This study is highly cited and also served as a foundational analysis for our work on space cooling efficiency led by Nihar Shah.
References
1.Phadke, A., Park, W.Y., Abhyankar, N. Providing reliable and financially sustainable electricity access in India using super-efficient appliances (2019) Energy Policy, 132, pp. 1163-1175. DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.06.01
2.Phadke, Amol A, Arne Jacobson, Won Young Park, Ga Rick Lee, Peter Alstone, and Amit Khare. Powering a Home with Just 25Watts of Solar PV: Super-Efficient Appliances Can Enable Expanded Off-Grid Energy Service Using Small Solar Power Systems. 2015. LBNL-175726
3.Park, W.Y., Phadke, A.A. Adoption of energy-efficient televisions for expanded off-grid electricity service (2017) Development Engineering, 2, pp. 107-113. DOI: 10.1016/j.deveng.2017.07.002
4.Park, W.Y., Shah, N., Phadke, A. Enabling access to household refrigeration services through cost reductions from energy efficiency improvements (2019) Energy Efficiency. DOI: 10.1007/s12053-019-09807-w
6.Phadke, Amol A, Ranjit Bharvirkar, and Jagmeet Khangura. Reassessing Wind Potential Estimates for India: Economic and Policy Implications. 2011. LBNL-5077E.
7.Deshmukh, R., Wu, G.C., Callaway, D.S., Phadke, A. Geospatial and techno-economic analysis of wind and solar resources in India (2019) Renewable Energy, pp. 947-960. DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2018.11.073 Wu, G.C., Deshmukh, R., Ndhlukula, K., Radojicic, T., Reilly-Moman, J., Phadke, A., Kammen, D.M., Callaway, D.S.
8. Strategic siting and regional grid interconnections key to low-carbon futures in African countries (2017) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 114 (15), pp. E3004-E3012. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1611845114
9. Phadke, Amol A, Nikit Abhyankar, and Nihar Shah. Avoiding 100 New Power Plants by Increasing Efficiency of Room Air Conditioners in India: Opportunities and Challenges. 2014. LBNL-6674e [36].
10.Phadke, A. , McCall M., Rajagopal D. Reforming electricity rates to enable economically competitive electric trucking. Environmental Research Letters – 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab560d
11.D Rajagopal, A Phadke. Prioritizing electric miles over electric vehicles will deliver greater benefits at lower cost. Environmental Research Letters – 2019. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab3ab8
12. Bauer, G.S., Phadke, A., Greenblatt, J.B., Rajagopal, D. Electrifying urban ridesourcing fleets at no added cost through efficient use of charging infrastructure (2019) Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, 105, pp. 385-404. DOI: 10.1016/j.trc.2019.05.041
[1] Detailed power system data and models for US and India in Plexos – REEDs with capabilities to simulate hourly dispatch for every power plant unit and transmission flows at the zonal level.