At the beginning of the month, I attended the (IST 2026) in Zurich. As I embark upon my Master’s in Public Policy – Sustainable Energy and the Environment, spending a week engaging with researchers and practitioners working on climate and energy transitions was an invaluable experience.

IST 2026 brought together researchers, practitioners, and graduate students from around the world to explore how societies can navigate the challenges of sustainability transitions. With this year’s theme, “Hope in Challenging Times,” the conference created space to examine the barriers facing transitions and think critically about the opportunities for creating more equitable futures.

One of the things I found most valuable about IST was the breadth of research represented. Sessions brought together perspectives from across the natural and applied sciences, as well as the social sciences, offering a broader picture of what it takes to transform socio-technical systems. I had the opportunity to learn about emerging technologies and innovations while also engaging with research on the political, institutional, social, and economic conditions that shape how those technologies are adopted. Being exposed to research across different sectors, countries, and transition contexts pushed me to think beyond my own area of focus.

A major highlight of the conference was presenting my research paper, “Blocking the Current: Political Contests Surrounding Electrification in Canada,” which I co-authored with Professor Daniel Rosenbloom. Presenting our work to an international audience with such diverse academic backgrounds was an exciting opportunity to receive new perspectives, challenge some of my thinking, and come away with ideas to shape the research moving forward.

Just as meaningful as the research itself was the opportunity to be part of the IST community. Throughout the week, I had the chance to reconnect with international colleagues, meet researchers whose work I have been following, and build new friendships with graduate students from around the world.

As an incoming Master’s student, IST 2026 was a reminder of how much there is to learn from those working across disciplines, sectors, and parts of the world. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who made the conference such a welcoming and intellectually stimulating experience. I’m excited to carry this new knowledge with me as I begin the next chapter of my academic journey.

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Hydrogen is being proposed as a strategy to decarbonize several hard-to-abate sectors of the global economy, including heavy-duty road freight. , compares the effect of converting this critical transportation sub-sector into either battery-electric trucking or hydrogen fuel-cell trucking, with a focus on the newfound interdependency between zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles and the electricity grid.

By developing a sector-coupling generation expansion planning model to achieve net-zero emissions in 2050, they demonstrate that when considering the electric grid impacts of zero-emission trucks, battery-electric trucks offer the cost optimal approach, with up to 47% savings compared to the hydrogen alternative.

In fact, current hydrogen price targets, including America’s “hydrogen shot” of achieving $1/kg by 2030, are too high to achieve decarbonization via hydrogen fuel-cell trucks; parity with batteries is only achieved when hydrogen prices for the consumer (in other words, at the pump) fall below $1/kg. Their research also shows that abatement costs for decarbonizing heavy-duty vehicles are within the scope of Canada’s former carbon pricing schemes, which were eliminated by the Carney government. Diesel fuel prices must rise by 20–50¢/L to promote decarbonization of heavy-duty trucking for both BETs and HFCTs, which was happening before Carney’s elevation to the post of prime minister.

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Students in ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University’s SERG 5005: Applied Interdisciplinary Project recently presented the results of their capstone project, Electrifying Mass Transit in Cornwall, to senior city and transit officials in Cornwall, Ontario. The project was completed by Abdulrahman Alsayed (MEng–Sustainable Energy Engineering), Amanda Gutzke (MPP–Sustainable Energy Policy), and Vedika Chandran (MPP–Sustainable Energy Policy).

The capstone project was developed in close engagement with Cornwall’s municipal and transit staff and aimed to support the city’s longer‑term energy transition planning. Early in the project, the students conducted a site visit in Cornwall, allowing them to ground their analysis in the realities of the transit system, depot layout, and daily operations. This visit enabled the team to identify potential charging locations and validate assumptions that would later underpin their technical and economic assessments.

Building on this applied foundation, the students examined how Cornwall could transition its existing diesel and gasoline bus fleet to battery electric buses. Three potential pathways were evaluated: full electrification by 2040, delayed electrification by 2049, and a business‑as‑usual scenario with no adoption of battery electric buses. The analysis integrated technical feasibility, economic and environmental impacts, social considerations, and risk and mitigation strategies, resulting in a set of actionable recommendations for the city.

The technical analysis assessed whether battery electric buses could meet Cornwall’s current route requirements under real‑world conditions, including winter operations. Most routes were found to be suitable for electrification, with targeted operational strategies identified for more demanding routes. The students also outlined the infrastructure upgrades required at the Cornwall Transit depot, including garage modifications necessary to accommodate charging equipment.

Economic analysis focused on the net present costs of each pathway from 2026 to 2040, distinguishing between capital and operating costs. While electrification was associated with higher upfront capital investments, the team identified substantial long‑term savings from reduced fuel and maintenance expenses – costs that would need to be borne by the municipality should it delay electrification.

“This project shows what students are able to accomplish when they engage directly with real infrastructure, operational constraints, and policy trade‑offs faced by decision-makers,” said Professor Daniel Rosenbloom, Ivey Research Chair in Sustainability Transitions and Program Supervisor for the Master of Public Policy – Sustainable Energy and the Environment. “This is precisely how we design our program: experiential, action‑oriented, and focused on producing analysis that can inform real decision‑making.”

The project culminated in a formal presentation to senior city and transit staff, with the team’s analysis feeding into ongoing municipal planning discussions. City staff indicated that the findings would help inform the development of Cornwall’s forthcoming master plan, particularly with respect to long‑term transit investment. The project illustrates how applied, interdisciplinary student research can contribute meaningfully to real-world decision‑making by providing timely, evidence‑based analysis.

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ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University’s Ahmed Abdulla has been named Canada’s for his research on direct air capture, a technology that removes carbon dioxide (COâ‚‚) from the air to address climate change.

Abdulla, a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, is one of just 25 National Champions selected worldwide. The prestigious prize recognizes research focused on keeping humanity within the planet’s “safe operating space.” 

Three International Champions will be named in January 2027 in Davos, Switzerland, and awarded $1 million USD each to scale their research.

Advancing Deep Decarbonization

Abdulla’s work focuses on designing future energy systems that are reliable, affordable, and deeply decarbonized. At ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´, he co-leads APEX (Alternative Pathways for the Energy Transition), an initiative that tackles and solves the deployment challenges of low-carbon energy technologies to support global climate goals. The initiative focuses on reducing risk and uncertainty, eliminating deployment bottlenecks, and improving policy design to advance clean energy solutions.

His . The findings show that performance can vary significantly by location, with implications for energy demand, water use and overall net carbon removal. 

Abdulla said the work highlights the importance of grounding climate modelling in real-world conditions.

“Nations are not decarbonizing fast enough to stabilize climate. Our in-depth, global analyses of the performance of a main capture technology paint a picture of carbon removal’s role in our future,” said Abdulla. 

The research also informs From Science to Policy: Planetary Solutions in Action, a global policy report developed with the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. The report explores how scientific evidence can better inform climate policy and international cooperation.

ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ the Frontiers Planet Prize

The Frontiers Planet Prize is the world’s largest science competition on planetary health, involving more than 700 universities and research institutions worldwide. National Champions are selected through an independent review by international experts.

As Canada’s National Champion, Abdulla will represent ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ internationally, contributing to discussions that connect scientific research with policy and real‑world application. 

The recognition comes as countries increasingly look to carbon removal technologies as part of broader net-zero strategies, though researchers note that real-world performance varies significantly depending on local environmental conditions and energy system constraints. Abdulla’s work contributes to ongoing efforts to ensure that assessments of the technology’s role in net-zero emission plans are aligned with physical and economic realities.

For more information on Abdulla’s research, email him at ahmed.abdulla3@carleton.ca.

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ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ sustainable energy students showcased their expertise at the Ontario Energy Board’s inaugural Energython case competition held in Toronto on January 30, 2026. Representing ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ as Team Meter Made Better, graduate students Sean Thomas, Maia Warren, Melizza Clayden Tabobondung, and Vedika Chandran were shortlisted from 15 initial teams to compete as one of only four provincial finalists.

The team delivered well‑reasoned recommendations on balancing new energy sources within Ontario’s regulatory frameworks, drawing on insights from their coursework and analyses developed throughout the 10-day competition.

“They presented a multi‑criteria analysis that brought together energy transition considerations and equity impacts” said Professor Daniel Rosenbloom. “While they didn’t bring home the top prize, I’m genuinely proud of what they accomplished here”.

ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s strong performance underscores the calibre of our emerging leaders in energy transitions.

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ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University is the newest university partner in the , a $4.5 million collaboration among universities, which will â€śsupport the deployment of grid modernization, energy storage and non-emitting generation in every region of Canada.” The program is funded by the Government of Canada’s Smart Renewables and Electrification Pathways Program (SREPs).  

The partnership was announced today by ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ Provost Pauline Rankin at the Energy Modelling Hub Annual Forum, entitled Navigating Uncertainties, Powering a stronger Canada. 

“We are thrilled to partner with the Energy Modelling Hub, as this partnership represents a significant step forward in strengthening Canada’s capacity for evidence-based energy transition planning,” said Provost Rankin. 

“ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ has long been recognized for its interdisciplinary strength in addressing energy transitions. By integrating engineering, policy, economics and social sciences, we have built flagship programs such as: the undergraduate program in Sustainable Energy Engineering; the graduate program in Sustainable Energy (MPP, MEng, and MSc); and the Collaborative Specialization in Climate Change.”  

The Faculty of Public Affairs is also home to several leading researchers in climate and sustainability, including: 

• James Meadowcroft, Chancellor’s Professor and Principal at the Transition Accelerator in the School of Public Policy and Administration. 
• Daniel Rosenbloom, Ivey Research Chair in Sustainability Transitions in the School of Public Policy and Administration. 
• , academic director at Re:Climate, a centre for climate communication and public engagement in the School of Journalism and Communication. 

Note to readers: This is a corrected post. An earlier version incorrectly stated $4.5 billion and not $4.5 million.

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Summary: An important cornerstone of energy transition, increasing renewable energy adoption, has never become more apparent given growing environmental stressors such as the climate crisis, prompting the need to stay within planetary boundaries. This is particularly the case in the global South given these places are often more vulnerable to climate impacts as they tend to possess more limited resources and measures to contend with such changes, while concurrently they are projected to grow substantially in the coming decades. Within such a context of limited resources and increased pressures, policy makers and practitioners must make decisions on where to focus their time and effort. As countries in the global South embark upon actions to support energy transition including renewable energy uptake, an important question therefore is how to prioritize which challenges to address and which options to pursue. Consequently, this paper provides a systematic review of nearly 150 peer-reviewed articles on the challenges impeding energy transition in the global South to put into perspective their relative importance according to academic research, and to document their proposed solutions or options to address these challenges. Six categories of challenges were most prevalent in the literature. Namely, politics and policy, financial, technology, environmental, social, and socio-technical. Analysis of the relevant literature under these categories shows that the challenge that has received the most attention in academic literature is politics and policy (24.2%). This is followed by technology (23.9%), social (20.7%), financial (19.2%), socio-technical (8.2%), and environmental (3.8%) in that order. This result means that while technology and financial aspects are clearly seen as a challenge, politics and policy which speaks of the role of power, as well as social, which relates to the role of people, can greatly advance and/or hinder energy transition in the global South. Furthermore, environmental issues are increasingly acknowledged as being complex, societal challenges, requiring transdisciplinary approaches. However, the findings also suggest a dearth of research on issues related to the environment, and systems-based approaches that highlight the integration of energy transition technology within the host social systems.

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ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University has become the first North American institutional member of the  (STRN), the international network of scholars and practitioners studying and working to advance pathways toward more sustainable societal systems.

Building on past achievements in the field, this milestone cements ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s position as North America’s leading cluster for transitions research, policy engagement, and training.

Sustainability transitions is a rapidly growing interdisciplinary field focused on understanding and accelerating the profound societal changes needed to address pressing challenges such as climate change. Its frameworks and insights have increasingly been taken up by leading international organizations and government bodies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, OECD, World Bank, and the European Commission. Since its founding in 2009, STRN has become the global hub for this work, connecting more than 3,000 researchers and practitioners.

A Record of Leadership

ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ has long been a pioneer in sustainability transitions. In 2009, it launched a flagship interdisciplinary graduate program in sustainable energy, bridging engineering and policy to train new leaders in energy transitions. Chancellor’s Professor James Meadowcroft, former Canada Research Chair in Governance for Sustainable Development, helped establish the politics and governance of transitions as a core area of study within the network and later developed the governance approach that informed the creation of Canada’s  in 2016.

ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ has also anchored major national initiatives, including  (2018), the country’s leading voice for an energy-efficient economy. In 2019, ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ brought the STRN’s annual flagship event, the International Sustainability Transitions (IST) Conference, to North America for the first and only time to date. More recently, in partnership with the , the university established the first endowed research chair dedicated to the field in North America (2024).

Today, ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ brings together a critical mass of scholars advancing research and practice across multiple dimensions of sustainability transitions, including but not limited to:

• Kristen Schell, Canada Research Chair in Uncertainty-Informed Net-Zero Energy System Modelling
• Reza Kholghy, Canada Research Chair in Particle Technology and Combustion Engineering (industrial decarbonization)
• Elie Azar, Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Buildings and Communities
• James Meadowcroft, Chancellor’s Professor, former Canada Research Chair, and Principal at the Transition Accelerator
• Alexandra Mallett, Associate Professor in Public Policy
• Daniel Rosenbloom, Ivey Research Chair in Sustainability Transitions
• Cameron Roberts, Adjunct Research Professor and Senior Research Associate in Sustainability Transitions
• Brendan Haley, Adjunct Research Professor and Senior Director of Policy Strategy at Efficiency Canada

Expanding Global Reach

With ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´â€™s membership, STRN deepens its global presence to include a strong North American institutional partner. This step comes at a time when the network is experiencing growing uptake globally, with new regional hotbeds emerging in Asia and Latin America.

Looking Ahead

ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ STRN

The Sustainability Transitions Research Network (STRN) is the world’s largest international community of researchers and practitioners focused on sustainability transitions. It works to advance knowledge development, education and training, knowledge exchange, and outreach.

ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ University

Located in Canada’s capital of Ottawa, ĐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ connects world-class researchers, industry leaders, and over 30,000 students to tackle the most pressing global concerns.

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Most remote and northern communities in Canada rely on diesel for their electrical and thermal energy needs. Communities and governments are working toward diesel exit strategies, but the role of hydrogen technologies (which could serve both electrical and thermal demand) has yet to be explored.

In , in collaboration with colleagues at CanmetENERGY-Ottawa, investments in hydrogen microgrids are optimized across a large sample of remote and northern communities. Installed capacities, costs, hydrogen storage needs, and water resource requirements are estimated.

The team finds that hydrogen microgrids are cheaper, in levelized cost terms, than diesel systems in 28 of 37 communities investigated; if wind power capital costs escalate to CAD 20,000/kW, as recently seen in one project in the Canadian North, only 3 of the 37 communities net hydrogen microgrids that are cheaper than diesel variants. Hydrogen storage plays a large role in maintaining reliability and reducing cost—both it and water needs are modest. The former can be met with current technologies.

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New work published by researchers in the APEX group builds an open-source model of direct air capture (DAC) technologies that employ solid sorbents. The research, published in the journal , focuses on a set of sorbents identified as relevant to cold climates such as Canada’s, but the underlying model can be adapted to other sorbents that are being characterized experimentally. The model also integrates ambient environmental conditions to improve siting and operational decisions as Canada pursues millions of tons of carbon removal through DAC by 2050.

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