Energy Institute at Haas

Energy Institute at Haas
Name	Energy Institute at Haas
Formation	2013
Type	Research institute
Headquarters	Berkeley, California
Parent organization	Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley
Leader title	Executive Director
Leader name	Michael A. Wara

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Energy Institute at Haas

The Energy Institute at Haas is a research and education center housed within the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley that convenes scholars, policymakers, and industry leaders to address energy transitions. The institute engages with stakeholders across California, United States, and global arenas including European Union, China, India, and Brazil to develop market-based strategies and regulatory frameworks. It collaborates with academic units such as the Berkeley Lab, the College of Engineering, UC Berkeley, and the School of Public Health, UC Berkeley while interacting with institutions like the International Energy Agency, the World Bank, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

History

The institute traces roots to energy-focused initiatives at the Haas School of Business and partnerships with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Energy Biosciences Institute during the early 2010s. Founding activities involved collaborations with figures from the California Public Utilities Commission, alumni from ExxonMobil, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and policymakers from the offices of the Governor of California. The institute expanded amid policy developments following the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 and cross-border projects linked to California Air Resources Board programs. Over time it cultivated ties to global networks including the International Renewable Energy Agency and the World Resources Institute.

The institute's mission integrates business education priorities at the Haas School of Business with empirical analysis relevant to California Independent System Operator, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and international regulators. Research themes span electricity markets tied to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, decarbonization pathways discussed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and technology adoption influenced by firms like Tesla, Inc., Siemens, General Electric, and Shell plc. Faculty affiliates have connections to scholars who served on advisory panels for the U.S. Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Work addresses policy instruments such as emissions trading systems modeled after the European Union Emission Trading Scheme and infrastructure finance practiced by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.

The institute supports graduate-level courses at Haas School of Business and cross-listed offerings with the Department of Economics, UC Berkeley, the Berkeley Law School, and the Goldman School of Public Policy. Course topics include energy finance reflecting models used by BlackRock, risk management techniques employed by Lazard, and regulatory strategy cases drawn from Southern California Edison, Duke Energy, and NextEra Energy. Students undertake practicum projects partnering with organizations such as Chevron Corporation, BP, BloombergNEF, and municipal utilities including the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.

The institute cultivates partnerships with corporate, nonprofit, and government entities including Chevron Corporation, Tesla, Inc., Google LLC, Microsoft, Amazon, Shell plc, Exelon Corporation, and NGOs like the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Rocky Mountain Institute. It participates in consortia with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and international partners such as Électricité de France and Iberdrola. Collaborative projects have involved venture capital firms like Kleiner Perkins and Sequoia Capital and investment banks including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley on issues of decarbonization investment and clean-technology commercialization.

The institute produces working papers, policy briefs, and datasets and hosts research centers aligned with entities like the Energy Biosciences Institute and initiatives connected to the California Energy Commission. Affiliates publish in journals read by audiences at the American Economic Association meetings and contribute to reports used by the International Energy Agency and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The institute collaborates with Berkeley research centers including the Berkeley Energy and Climate Institute and the Center for Environmental Public Policy, and with external centers such as the Rocky Mountain Institute and the World Resources Institute.

The institute offers executive programs modeled after curricula at institutions like Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business and runs seminars featuring leaders from Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison, NextEra Energy, Tesla, Inc., and regulatory officials from the California Public Utilities Commission. Public events bring together speakers from the International Energy Agency, the World Bank, venture firms like Andreessen Horowitz, and philanthropic organizations including the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.

Governance involves oversight by leaders from the Haas School of Business, the University of California, Berkeley administration, and advisory board members drawn from ExxonMobil, Chevron Corporation, Goldman Sachs, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, and nonprofit organizations such as the Natural Resources Defense Council. Funding sources include grants from federal agencies like the U.S. Department of Energy and private support from corporations, foundations such as the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, and research contracts with entities including the California Energy Commission and the Department of Defense.