Energy Modelling and Policy Experts Wanted!
We are thrilled to invite you to participate in the 2025 Atlantic Conference on System Energy Modelling, which will be held on June 18, 2025, in Halifax. The theme of this year’s event is “Leveraging Innovation and Interprovincial Collaboration for a Reliable and Affordable Grid.” Our goal is to facilitate discussions on how innovation and enhanced collaboration between provinces can support grid reliability and affordability amidst rapid energy system transformation.
Conference Information
This one-day event promises insightful panels and presentations, offering both regional and national perspectives on energy modelling challenges and opportunities. Co-hosted by Net Zero Atlantic and the Energy Modelling Hub (EMH), this conference will explore how innovation and strong interprovincial collaboration can shape a reliable and affordable grid for Atlantic Canada. This year’s theme focuses on addressing regional challenges, removing trade barriers, and translating complex energy models into actionable policies.
Call for Communications – Guidelines
We warmly invite you to contribute to this event by submitting your oral or poster presentation idea using this form.
Note: There will be a poster competition, so please encourage your students and colleagues to submit their applications!
Topics of Interest
(We encourage submissions on the following topics but are open to other ideas as well!)
Panel 1: Bridging the Provinces – Strengthening Interprovincial Energy Modelling Collaboration
As Canada moves toward a more integrated and decarbonized energy system, interprovincial collaboration is essential for ensuring a reliable and affordable grid. This panel will explore current efforts and future opportunities for shared data, coordinated modelling, and harmonized energy policies. Experts will discuss best practices for interregional partnerships and the role of energy modelling in cross-border transmission planning.
Key Topics:
- Provincial integrated resource plans
- Interprovincial electricity trade and regulatory harmonization
- Data sharing and model standardization across provinces
- Energy modelling for regional planning and transmission expansion
- Case studies on interregional energy cooperation
- Coordinated planning for severe weather events
Panel 2: The Role of Buildings and Transportation in a Resilient and Affordable Energy System
Buildings and transportation are critical to achieving a sustainable and cost-effective grid. This panel will explore how energy modelling can guide sectoral decarbonization, efficiency improvements, and demand-side managementstrategies. Discussions will focus on challenges related to electrification and the interaction of distributed energy resources (DERs) with the grid.
Key Topics:
- Electrification impacts on the grid
- Decarbonization strategies for residential, commercial, and industrial sectors
- Demand-side management and flexible loads
- Impact of EV adoption on grid planning
- Policy frameworks supporting electrification and energy efficiency
- Cross-sector energy integration (hydrogen, biofuels, etc.)
Panel 3: Advancing Energy Modelling – Enhancing Accuracy, Resilience, and Policy Integration
Energy models must evolve to improve accuracy, incorporate new technologies, and integrate social dynamics. This panel will discuss key advancements, such as high-resolution modelling, resilience planning, and strategies to align modelling outputs with policymaking.
Key Topics:
- Improving accuracy in modelling renewable energy variability
- High-resolution modelling for real-time dynamics
- Modelling grid-forming inverters and integration strategies
- Resilience planning for extreme weather and cyber threats
- Quality assurance frameworks and validation of energy models
- Social dynamics and behavioural modelling in energy systems
Panel 4: Strengthening the Modelling-Policy Nexus – Turning Insights into Action
Despite advancements in energy modelling, gaps remain in translating insights into actionable policies. This panel will explore how policymakers and modellers can collaborate effectively to bridge this divide, focusing on structured engagement mechanisms and continuous policy evaluation.
Key Topics:
- Effective policymaker-modeller engagement
- Lessons from case studies: energy models shaping policy decisions
- Continuous monitoring and evaluation of energy policies
- Transparent and open-source energy modelling practices
- Challenges in developing energy literacy and expertise
- Tools for simplifying the interpretation of modelling outputs