CIEE is a dedicated group of experts who define, conduct, and manage public-interest energy research. Based in the University of California, at CITRIS and the Banatao Institute, CIEE puts its experts and other leading researchers from universities, government, industry, and nonprofits, to work on energy challenges, yielding new ideas and technologies to meet California’s pace-setting energy goals.
We partner with the California Energy Commission, the California Public Utilities Commission, the U.S. Department of Energy, utilities, and other research sponsors to help form the agenda for research in energy science, technology, and policy — identifying the most critical avenues on the complex route to California’s energy goals. CIEE then brings to bear the expertise of its world-class researchers, and those from UC and around the country, to do the innovative work needed to move steadily toward meeting California’s energy goals.
Since July 1, 2018, CIEE has been operating under the CITRIS umbrella at UC Berkeley, leveraging the resources and synergies within the CITRIS ecosystem, and especially within the CITRIS Climate initiative.
Inspired by its founder, Art Rosenfeld, CIEE has been conducting, leading, and managing energy research for thirty years. To date, CIEE experts have received 470 research awards and managed nearly 1,000 subawards at more than 160 universities, national labs, and research centers. The total value of these awards exceeds $205 million.
Research Thrust
CIEE’s research projects range from managing expansive studies on California’s vulnerability to climate change to deploying energy efficient and grid-responsive implementation solutions like the low-cost smart thermostat, new sensor technologies like the Anemometer, Hamilton, and micro-PMU, and the XBOS building management platform. We conduct field-tests with our partners, nurturing these projects to wide scale use. Our current areas of focus include:
Electric Grid – Through technological research and development in collaboration with industry, CIEE advances new tools such as high-precision micro-synchrophasor measurements from the demonstration phase to deployment, modernizing the energy grid to meet California’s energy policy goals.
Enabling Technologies – CIEE’s expertise in technical administration and project management helps drive cutting edge research agreements with our partners across the country and internationally.
Energy Use in Buildings – CIEE is finding ways to scale up deployment of new building technologies and enable quick, efficient retrofits of existing structures, reducing both energy usage and energy costs drastically.
CIEE is headquartered at the David Brower Center - Berkeley, California
Critical value-added by CIEE to California’s energy initiatives includes:
- Engaging utility stakeholders with public interest electric transmission research and development
- Accelerating deployment of California Energy Commission’s Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) end-use efficiency technologies
- Filling in lighting technology paths for California Public Utility Commission’s “Big Bold Energy Efficiency Goals”
- Advancing the California Public Utility Commission’s “Big Bold Energy Efficiency Goals” as a key player in the development of it’s Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan chapter on Lighting
- Accelerating development of enabling technologies for demand-side energy management
- Identifying and coordinating expert perspectives to guide strategic planning and evaluation for energy efficiency
- Leading the integration of social-science research into energy-efficiency initiatives.
- Secure and sustainable energy systems
- Access to reliable, affordable energy for all
- Heightened productivity and competitiveness for California industries
- Improved air and water quality, and a healthier environment
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and a more stable and predictable climate.
