Eric Williams - Featured Faculty 2016

Eric Williams holds B.A. and PhD degrees in Physics. He has taught at Carnegie Mellon University and Arizona State University. His research focuses on modeling to inform policies supporting renewable and efficient energy technologies. His research is mainly supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DOE).

One current NSF project, "Resolving the effects of heterogeneity and technological progress on carbon mitigation costs" is a collaboration with Eric Hittinger in CLA and Roger Chen in GIS. The research aims to understand how economic and carbon benefits of energy technology vary by household and location. The first paper in this area, published in 2016, examines patterns of television watching in the U.S. The analysis revealed enormous heterogeneity: 14% of the population watches 7.7 hours of television a day in contrast with a 50% group that watches 1.1 hours. An efficient television for the heavy watching group delivers more than seven times the energy savings. The research was covered in over 80 newspapers, including the Washington Post.

A second NSF project, "Understanding the Evolution of the U.S. Electricity Grid Taking into Account Uncertainty for Improved Management of Costs and Environmental Impacts", is a collaboration with Eric Hittinger in CLA. The first work from this project, currently under review, examines the prospects for wind power to become cheaper. Results are that if the cost of wind power continues to decline according to historical trends, it will be become broadly cost competitive with natural gas and coal electricity within the next two decades.

A third stream of research, supported by DOE, examines how to more efficiently deliver thermal comfort in commercial buildings. The 2016 article "Colignment of comfort and energy saving objectives for U.S. office buildings and restaurants" shows that a significant amount of energy is wasted undercooling or overheating office and restaurant spaces in the U.S. More intelligent management of heating and cooling systems has the potential to save money, reduce carbon and make people more comfortable. The work was covered in the media by United Press International and the trade magazine Utility Dive.

Eric Williams
Associate Professor
Golisano Institute of Sustainability