Toward Resilient Energy Infrastructure: Understanding the Climate Average Changes and Extreme Events in the Northeastern U.S.

Archive Project
Toward Resilient Energy Infrastructure: Understanding the Climate Average Changes and Extreme Events in the Northeastern U.S.

Focus Areas: 

  • Managed Resources
  • Infrastructure & Investment
  • Regional Analysis
  • North America

Understanding the likely extent of changes in regional energy demand due to climate change is critical to the strategic planning of energy supply and infrastructure, urban infrastructure development, and resilience of energy grid companies to physical and transition risks. While it is important to know the immediate effects of changes in climate and extremes on regional energy infrastructure and demand, it is equally important to understand these changes in longer time scales (mid- to end-of-century) to make better investment choices that withstand the effects of a changing climate. This project will study changes in the mean and extreme climate over the Northeastern United States to support strategic planning and infrastructure maintenance. The project will assess mean and extreme temperature changes, develop pathways to incorporate mean and extreme temperature changes in energy forecasting, and assess changing icing and wind speeds with climate change.

Funding Sources

Project Leaders

Administration, Faculty
MIT Energy Initiative; Joint Program