MODELLING TO SUPPORT NET-ZERO PLANNING: A COURSE FOR NON-MODELLERS

This 7-hour course is held over two days from 12:30 - 4:00 p.m. ET each day.

Day 1: August 6, 2024 - 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. ET

Day 2: August 7, 2024 - 12:30 to 4:00 p.m. ET

• 100% online

• Earn a certificate upon completion

About this course:

Decarbonizing the economy by 2050 requires profoundly transforming Canada’s complex energy systems. In the absence of a crystal ball, models can help us design the future we want, projecting the response of our energy system to different policy and economic scenarios and helping to calculate the best path forward. When applied effectively, models can help organizations evaluate and advocate for strong climate policies and investment decisions.

This online course is designed to equip non-technical experts of all levels with the skills to read, interpret, and apply models to organizational goals and strategies. Over two days of online instruction and discussion, you will build the skills to understand and interpret energy models, communicate a business case for energy modelling, and confidently integrate modelling into your strategic plans and decisions.

Prerequisites: A background in climate, energy, environment, or sustainability planning. No math or technical skills are required for this course.

This course is for you if:

You’re a mid-to senior-level professional working in climate, energy, or natural resources looking to deepen your understanding of using models for net-zero planning and decision-making

You’re in a non-technical role but work closely with technical teams to advance policy or investment decisions

What you will learn:

Understand how to read, interpret, and apply models to your organization’s energy, climate, or net-zero action plans

Leverage model results to help create a business case for strong decarbonization policies and investment decisions

Confidently incorporate models into project planning

Course Outline:

Module 1: Why Model?

What are models and how do we use them? We will review types of models, how they are applied in the race toward net zero, examples of powerful energy and climate models, and outcomes achieved when models are applied properly to policy and business decisions.

Module 2: Building a Model

We will cover how models are built, including data inputs, outputs, and linked variables. We will look at some leading models of the Canadian energy system, interpret their results, and introduce hypotheses for applications and action.

Module 3: Applying Model Results

What do we DO with our modelling results? We’ll discuss best practices for applying models to strategy, policy, and climate action plans, and how the depth of the energy transformation needed means rethinking how we use models.

Contact us at education@transitionaccelerator.ca if you have any questions.