Leveraging System Dynamics to Predict the Commercialization Success of Emerging Energy Technologies: Lessons from Wind Energy

The United States urgently needs to tackle the climate crisis while enhancing energy security and resiliency. The complexity of the U.S. energy system, with its interconnected elements, makes predicting future states challenging, especially with the introduction of novel energy systems like wind, so...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Svetlana Lawrence, Daniel R. Herber, Kamran Eftekhari Shahroudi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/2048
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850144057796329472
author Svetlana Lawrence
Daniel R. Herber
Kamran Eftekhari Shahroudi
author_facet Svetlana Lawrence
Daniel R. Herber
Kamran Eftekhari Shahroudi
author_sort Svetlana Lawrence
collection DOAJ
description The United States urgently needs to tackle the climate crisis while enhancing energy security and resiliency. The complexity of the U.S. energy system, with its interconnected elements, makes predicting future states challenging, especially with the introduction of novel energy systems like wind, solar, clean hydrogen, and advanced nuclear technologies. Modern systems engineering methods and tools can provide deeper insights into these dynamics and future behaviors. This research aims to develop a comprehensive model that captures the main elements and behaviors of new energy technologies within the existing energy system. We hypothesized that the market uptake of novel energy systems is influenced by multiple diverse factors, such as technological learning, availability of resources, and economic incentives; examined the history of electricity generation using land-based wind technologies; and developed a system dynamics model to investigate the relationships between capacity growth and influencing factors, both internal and external. The developed model yielded outcomes that confirmed the hypothesized dynamics of wind energy system diffusion through a quantitative comparison of installed capacity and highlighted the significant influence of resource availability, federal incentives (production tax credits), and technological learning on capacity growth and cost reduction. This research aims to support informed decision-making for investments in novel energy systems and aid in developing effective policies for technology deployment.
format Article
id doaj-art-868f70e8b9ed476d8ecadd586cef753f
institution OA Journals
issn 1996-1073
language English
publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Energies
spelling doaj-art-868f70e8b9ed476d8ecadd586cef753f2025-08-20T02:28:28ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-04-01188204810.3390/en18082048Leveraging System Dynamics to Predict the Commercialization Success of Emerging Energy Technologies: Lessons from Wind EnergySvetlana Lawrence0Daniel R. Herber1Kamran Eftekhari Shahroudi2Idaho National Laboratory, 1955 Fremont Ave., Idaho Falls, ID 83415, USADepartment of Systems Engineering, Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USADepartment of Systems Engineering, Walter Scott, Jr. College of Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USAThe United States urgently needs to tackle the climate crisis while enhancing energy security and resiliency. The complexity of the U.S. energy system, with its interconnected elements, makes predicting future states challenging, especially with the introduction of novel energy systems like wind, solar, clean hydrogen, and advanced nuclear technologies. Modern systems engineering methods and tools can provide deeper insights into these dynamics and future behaviors. This research aims to develop a comprehensive model that captures the main elements and behaviors of new energy technologies within the existing energy system. We hypothesized that the market uptake of novel energy systems is influenced by multiple diverse factors, such as technological learning, availability of resources, and economic incentives; examined the history of electricity generation using land-based wind technologies; and developed a system dynamics model to investigate the relationships between capacity growth and influencing factors, both internal and external. The developed model yielded outcomes that confirmed the hypothesized dynamics of wind energy system diffusion through a quantitative comparison of installed capacity and highlighted the significant influence of resource availability, federal incentives (production tax credits), and technological learning on capacity growth and cost reduction. This research aims to support informed decision-making for investments in novel energy systems and aid in developing effective policies for technology deployment.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/2048investment and policy decision-makingsystem dynamicsenergy transitionnovel energy technology commercializationinvestment uncertainty
spellingShingle Svetlana Lawrence
Daniel R. Herber
Kamran Eftekhari Shahroudi
Leveraging System Dynamics to Predict the Commercialization Success of Emerging Energy Technologies: Lessons from Wind Energy
Energies
investment and policy decision-making
system dynamics
energy transition
novel energy technology commercialization
investment uncertainty
title Leveraging System Dynamics to Predict the Commercialization Success of Emerging Energy Technologies: Lessons from Wind Energy
title_full Leveraging System Dynamics to Predict the Commercialization Success of Emerging Energy Technologies: Lessons from Wind Energy
title_fullStr Leveraging System Dynamics to Predict the Commercialization Success of Emerging Energy Technologies: Lessons from Wind Energy
title_full_unstemmed Leveraging System Dynamics to Predict the Commercialization Success of Emerging Energy Technologies: Lessons from Wind Energy
title_short Leveraging System Dynamics to Predict the Commercialization Success of Emerging Energy Technologies: Lessons from Wind Energy
title_sort leveraging system dynamics to predict the commercialization success of emerging energy technologies lessons from wind energy
topic investment and policy decision-making
system dynamics
energy transition
novel energy technology commercialization
investment uncertainty
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/8/2048
work_keys_str_mv AT svetlanalawrence leveragingsystemdynamicstopredictthecommercializationsuccessofemergingenergytechnologieslessonsfromwindenergy
AT danielrherber leveragingsystemdynamicstopredictthecommercializationsuccessofemergingenergytechnologieslessonsfromwindenergy
AT kamraneftekharishahroudi leveragingsystemdynamicstopredictthecommercializationsuccessofemergingenergytechnologieslessonsfromwindenergy