Jackie Dowling

Bio: Dr. Jacqueline A. Dowling (Jackie) models energy systems to guide the global transition to clean energy. Her research program analyzes natural resource constraints, guides technology innovation, and targets decarbonization solutions. She earned a PhD in Chemistry with a minor in Environmental Science and Engineering from Caltech. Jackie’s dissertation combined techno-economic analysis and materials chemistry to assess and advance energy storage and conversion technologies in wind- and solar-based electricity systems. She uses weather data in macro-energy system models to guide reliable energy infrastructure plans and technology innovation (such as in geologic hydrogen storage and electrolyzers). Jackie’s research on role of long-duration energy storage has been cited by major utilities and in international, national, and state-level decarbonization plans.

Postdoctoral research project: Net-zero emissions heat. Heating accounts for about 40% of U.S. and global CO2 emissions. Jackie’s research estimates the costs to decarbonize specific industrial and building heating demands in the U.S., and how these costs scale with heat-related carbon emissions avoided for different industrial processes and geographic locations. For example, fossil fuels may be difficult to displace for high-temperature heat for industry and space heating of buildings in cold climates where electricity distribution capacity for new heat pumps is limited. Her results identify and quantify the most and least challenging heating to decarbonize, target energy infrastructure upgrade priorities, and guide clean heat technology investment and associated research.

Research focus:  Energy Transition Pathways

Advisors:  Steve Davis - Earth System Science  |  Adam Brandt & Inês Azevedo - Energy Science & Engineering