Climate Compatible Growth Publications

Selected ‘Starter kit’ energy system modelling data for selected countries in Africa, East Asia, and South America

Selected ‘Starter kit’ energy system modelling data for selected countries in Africa, East Asia, and South America

Energy system modelling can be used to develop internally-consistent quantified scenarios. These provide key insights needed to mobilise finance, understand market development, infrastructure deployment and the associated role of institutions, and generally support improved policymaking. 

However, access to data is often a barrier to starting energy system modelling, especially in developing countries, thereby causing delays to decision making. This article provides data that can be used to create a simple zero-order energy system model for a range of developing countries in Africa, East Asia, and South America, which can act as a starting point for further model development and scenario analysis.  

The data are collected entirely from publicly available and accessible sources, including the websites and databases of international organisations, journal articles, and existing modelling studies. This means that the datasets can be easily updated based on the latest available information or more detailed and accurate local data.  

As an example, these data were also used to calibrate a simple energy system model for Kenya using the Open Source Energy Modelling System (OSeMOSYS) and three stylized scenarios (Fossil Future, Least Cost and Net Zero by 2050) for 2020–2050. The assumptions used and the results of these scenarios are presented in the appendix as an illustrative example of what can be done with these data.  

This simple model can be adapted and further developed by in-country analysts and academics, providing a platform for future work. 

Read the paper in full from Karla, Lucy Allington, Carla Cannone, Ioannis Pappis, Will Usher, Steve Pye, Edward Brown, Mark Howells, Miriam Zachau Walker, Aniq Ahsan, Flora Charbonnier, Claire Halloran, Stephanie Hirmer, Jennifer Cronin, Constantinos Taliotis, Caroline Sundin, Vignesh Sridharan, Eunice Ramos, Maarten Brinkerink, Paul Deane, Andrii Gritsevskyi, Gustavo Moura, Arnaud Rouget, David Wogan, Edito Barcelona, Taco Niet, Holger Rogner, Franziska Bock, Jairo Quirós-Tortós, Jam Angulo-Paniagua, Satheesh Krishnamurthy, John Harrison, Long Seng To here

Photo credit: NASA

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