250 Years of Transition in the U.S. Energy System, and What Lies Ahead

Gregory Nemet is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s La Follette School of Public Affairs. He holds the Salzwedel Distinguished Faculty Chair in Business and Regulation and is also a Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor. He recently served as Interim Director of the school. 

He leads research projects on energy systems, technological innovation, and climate policy. Much of the work is aimed at understanding the process of technological change and the ways in which public policy can affect it. His work combines empirical analysis of historical trends with forward-looking policy modeling to address global energy challenges. Recent work has focused on solar energy, carbon removal, social innovation, low energy demand, among others. 

In his first book, How Solar Became Cheap: A Model for Low-Carbon Innovation, he makes the case that by understanding the drivers behind solar energy’s success, other low-carbon technologies with similar properties can benefit.  

Nemet was named an Andrew Carnegie Fellow and was awarded the inaugural World Citizen Prize in Environmental Performance in 2019 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management. He was a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 6th Assessment Report (2023). He received his doctorate in energy and resources from the University of California, Berkeley. His A.B. is in geography and economics from Dartmouth College.