• Call for expression of interest to integrate energy models onto the EMH Common Platform
    The Energy Modelling Hub (EMH) is launching an initial Call for expression of interest targeted at the Canadian community of modellers that might be interested in making their models available and open on the EMH Common Platform, and, by extension, to Canadian stakeholders.

    This call is open to modellers interested in engaging with the EMH to share their modelling work and potentially integrate or link their models on the EMH Common Platform, where they will be maintained by the EMH over time and made available, with the appropriate documentation, to stakeholders. Publishing your energy model in an open-source format is a great way to increase exposure and credibility for your work. The EMH will make your work accessible to a broader audience, including policymakers and decision-makers and facilitate collaboration with a vast community of peers and users, contributing to the growth and improvement of your model. Additionally, open-source publishing shows a commitment to transparency and advancing knowledge in the field, helping to build trust and credibility among your peers, potential partners, and stakeholders.

    The call is addressed to the community at large —academics, consultants, governments, utilities, private sector, etc.— for original electricity/energy modelling of various aspects of Canadian energy systems, including, but not limited to, electricity production, transmission and distribution, or its usage in any given sector (transportation, building, industry, etc.), as the country embarks on a deep energy transition.

    This call for “models” is the first one launched by the EMH and is exploratory. At this time, the EMH is gathering the interest from the modelling community to contribute to this project and also collecting technical requirements and specifications that will be required to potentially host and maintain those models on the Common modelling platform. This “call for expression of interest” is non-binding and the EMH cannot commit, at this time, that the proposed model will be integrated into the EMH platform.
    If their model is selected by the EMH, the developer’s team will benefit, in a subsequent phase, from technical support from the EMH for integration to the common platform; the EMH will also provide the means to maintain those models —including datasets— on the platform over the long run.

    The EMH is currently integrating its first two models onto the platform, both developed by the University of Victoria : 1) COPPER – a capacity expansion planning model that optimizes the design of the power system under various policy scenarios (e.g. a user-defined carbon tax) or to achieve a specified target (e.g. net-zero emissions) and; 2) SILVER is a production cost model that optimizes the operation of the power system through standardized unit commitment, economic dispatch, and optimal power flow simulations. It is expected that this integration will be completed in 2023, and that the EMH will be ready to integrate other models in Q4 2023.

    Eligibility requirements:

    To be eligible for consideration, collaborators/modellers must be ready to meet the following requirements, possibly with the support of EMH:

    • The developer’s team must be willing to provide an open-source license for their code to the EMH for non-commercial use;
    • The underlying data to support the models must be provided and open-source links as well;
    • The modeller’s team must be able to contribute to the development of appropriate documentation and maintenance/update procedure;
    • The modeller’s team must justify the value in maintaining this model in a readily available form over the long term.
    Submit a proposal
    Submit a proposal

    Proposal can be submitted directly via this form. We know you are busy, so we tried to make this simple: it should not take you more than 30 minutes of your time to fill this form.

    Evaluation criteria

    The EMH will create a committee formed by stakeholders to review the applications and prioritize their potential integration to the EMH platform. The selection criteria are as follows:

    • Complementarity of the proposed model with the frameworks that are already supported by the EMH (e.g. SILVER and COPPER);
    • Relevance to address Canada’s priority challenges and issues such as: cleaning and expansion of the electricity sector, economic effects of the energy transition, decarbonization of building, transport and industry sectors, and more;
    • Willingness to make the models and underlying data available through an open-source format;
    • Model readiness or timeline to completion;
    • Technical complexity (to operate, to integrate);
    • Originality and uniqueness in comparison to other available models.
  • Call for Poster Presentations – Annual Forum 2023
    Energy Modelling Hub 2023 Annual Forum December 11-12, Ottawa

    Theme: “Achieving a net-zero electricity sector by 2035: Incorporating Real-world Constraints and Dynamics”

    We are delighted to invite you to participate in the Energy Modelling Hub 2023 Annual Forum, a prominent event dedicated to advancing knowledge and sharing insights on achieving a net-zero electricity sector by 2035 through poster presentations, among other engagements.

    The forum presents a unique opportunity to share your research, collaborate with fellow experts, and contribute to the ongoing dialogue about achieving a net-zero electricity sector by 2035.

    Your poster must fit in with one of the Forum’s topics.

    For further details on these themes, please refer to the Forum agenda.

    Forum topics:

    1.   Operationalizing Decarbonization and Grid Expansion through Energy Modelling
    2.   Resilience and Adaptation in Energy Modelling
    3.   Integrating Behavioral Factors in Energy Models
    4.   Policy Relevance and Decision-making in Energy Modelling: Balancing short-term and Long-term Goals for Policymakers
    5.   Powering the Transition: Examining Provincial Systems and Financial Implications of Clean Electricity Regulations
    6.   Empowering the Energy Workforce: Modeling Labor Force Impacts and Future Demands
    7.   Powering the Grid: Unraveling Changes, Costs, and Flexibility in Distribution Systems
    8.   Securing the Energy Supply Chain: Mitigating Risks and Overcoming Constraints
    Submit a Poster Presentation

    Proposal can be submitted directly via this form.

    All poster submissions will be reviewed to ensure quality and relevance to the conference theme. The selection criteria will include clarity, scientific merit, and alignment with the forum’s theme.

    Questions or comments: [email protected]

    Learn more about the 2023 Annual Forum and the topics of interest
    Important Dates
    • Deadline to submit your abstract: November 10, 2023
    • Acceptance Notifications: November 17, 2023
    • Forum Dates: December 11-12, 2023