Coordinated by Professor Stefano Moret at Politecnico di Milano, the UNITES project integrates uncertainty into energy models to inform more robust and sustainable policy decisions for Europe’s transition towards climate neutrality.
In a world characterized by geopolitical crises, volatile markets and the increasingly evident effects of climate change, planning for the future of energy has become an unprecedented challenge. Against this backdrop, the UNITES project - Uncertainty Integration for a Transition in Energy and Sustainability, was launched. Led by Professor Stefano Moret from the Department of Management, Economics and Industrial Engineering at Politecnico di Milano, the project was awarded an ERC Starting Grant in 2024.
The initiative aims to transform energy policies by systematically incorporating uncertainty into strategic decision-making processes. Unlike traditional approaches based on point forecasts and deterministic scenarios, UNITES introduces a paradigm shift by treating uncertainty as a central element to make energy strategies more robust, flexible and adaptable to a constantly changing global context.
The UNITES project addresses key challenges in energy planning, such as quantifying uncertainty in data, the computational complexity of models and ensuring results are interpretable by public decision-makers. To address these challenges, UNITES takes an interdisciplinary approach, combining energy engineering, data science, applied mathematics and social sciences.
The project rests on three pillars: developing methods to integrate uncertainty into energy models; creating databases capable of quantifying uncertainty, including qualitative aspects such as social acceptance; and using artificial intelligence to translate complex scenarios into actionable guidance for policymakers. This integration of quantitative and qualitative dimensions bridges the gap between mathematical models and the real needs of stakeholders while fostering greater public understanding of energy challenges.
By providing advanced tools to integrate uncertainty into energy policy, UNITES positions itself within the broader European pathway towards climate neutrality by 2050. This will help to make investments more resilient, energy prices more stable and the overall energy system more secure.
UNITES aims to contribute to a more realistic and reliable energy planning framework capable of supporting informed decision-making and fostering a sustainable, equitable and resilient future for generations to come.