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New Call for Letters of Inquiry:
Interdisciplinary Social Science Research on Energy System Interactions in the United States
Submission Deadline: Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Grants of $500,000 - $1,000,000 to be made for interdisciplinary social science research on energy system interactions in the United States, led by early- and mid-career scholars
The Energy and Environment program at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation is inviting Letters of Inquiry for interdisciplinary, collaborative social science research projects led by early- and mid-career scholars that analyze the systemic interactions and connections associated with the transition to a low-carbon economy in the United States. This Call for Letters of Inquiry is deliberately framed broadly to encourage the submission of research project ideas that examine the links and implications between different components of the energy system and how they relate to other aspects of the economy.
Achieving effective energy system decarbonization requires rethinking the ways different components of the energy system interact with one another and how these components relate to other elements of the economy. Interdisciplinary social science scholarship is needed that analyzes these intersections more holistically, brings together scholars and practitioners across fields, and works closely with an array of stakeholders to design an equitable and just transition. Taking this systems-level view is critical, given that accomplishing energy system decarbonization will involve a combination of deploying and scaling new technologies, implementing and evaluating new policies, testing and experimenting with new business models, and engaging and involving communities spanning geographies.
For instance, the increased adoption of electric vehicles has the potential to change the location, growth, and timing of power demand; adoption of alternative transit and travel patterns; and the development of new business and operating models. The rising interest in fostering and promoting regional economic development will impact how energy systems evolve, especially given the synergistic coupling with transportation, manufacturing, and other industrial systems. The installation of decentralized energy sources creates new challenges and opportunities in terms of coordinating across distributed resource systems and how these systems are regulated. In other domains, the clean energy transition could lead to the need for workers with distinctive skill sets and training, creating opportunities for alternative forms of credentialing and educational approaches. There could be wider macroeconomic effects brought on by changes in energy markets associated with an accelerated or stalled transition to a low-carbon economy. Additionally, energy system resilience will be further strained due to the adverse impacts of climate change, with the most severe impacts often affecting historically under-represented or marginalized communities, populations, and regions.
These are just a few of the many systemic impacts that arise due to the close coupling between energy system decarbonization and other dimensions of society and that could be the subject of proposed projects. Therefore, the intent of this Call is to be broadly relevant to a wide range of social science scholars and disciplines. Competitive submissions are expected to identify under-explored research questions in these areas and result in generating novel scholarship, training of students, strengthening researcher or practitioner networks, disseminating knowledge to inform decision-making, and leveraging additional resources to scale or expand the proposed work. Proposed projects are encouraged to address questions relevant to historically under-represented or marginalized communities, economically vulnerable communities, communities of color, Indigenous communities, or other vulnerable populations that have been overlooked in decision-making related to energy system decarbonization and to substantially engage these communities in the research process.
Sample Topics and Research Questions
Example topics and research questions for examination include but are not limited to:
- Energy, transportation, and the grid: What are the economic, social, environmental, and policy issues associated with the rising demands of electric vehicle charging on power grids? What new economic models or regulatory considerations need to be developed or addressed to account for increases in electric vehicle adoption? What are the impacts of increased availability of alternative, low-carbon transportation options on travel patterns and the adoption of alternative modes of transportation?
- Energy, changing demand patterns, and regional economic development: What are the economic, social, or technical factors contributing to changing energy demand patterns at the local, state, or regional levels? What strategies may be effective at responding to changing energy needs due to load growth in varying locations around the country? What coordination mechanisms are needed to manage and operate energy systems given changing demand patterns and the emerging emphasis on regional economic development?
- Energy, trade, and macroeconomics: What are the sectoral, industrial, and political economy implications associated with tariffs or other restrictions placed on low-carbon product imports? What are the macroeconomic and broader GDP implications of an accelerated or stalled transition to a low-carbon economy? How are industries accounting for and assessing different approaches to decarbonize energy use?
- Energy, training, and workforce development: What is the role of alternative training and credentialing programs that could help better prepare workers for jobs in the low-carbon economy? What workforce development strategies are effective in accelerating the transition to decarbonized energy systems? What lessons can be learned from previous or ongoing federal, state, or local programs, or from examples and experiences drawn from other contexts or countries?
- Energy system resilience, infrastructure, and climate adaptation: What novel responses at the federal, state, and local levels might improve and enhance energy system resilience to the impacts of climate change? What are the opportunities to more closely integrate and reflect changes in energy demand with energy system operations and resource planning, and how might behind-the-meter interventions be designed to improve system resilience? What are the equity impacts and public perception issues associated with energy infrastructure siting, especially in areas affecting historically under-represented or marginalized communities, households, and individuals?
Submissions are due by Tuesday, March 25, 2025, by 5:00pm Eastern. For more information on the details of this Call or to submit an application, please go to https://apply.sloan.org/prog/energy_system_interactions. All submission materials should be uploaded directly to the application portal.
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The Sloan Foundation Energy and Environment Program
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Energy and Environment program informs the societal transition toward low-carbon energy systems in the United States by investigating economic, environmental, technological, and distributional issues. It achieves this mission by supporting research, training, networking, and dissemination efforts in this domain that shape the direction of scholarship. It looks to investigate under-explored questions that warrant further attention, advance collaborative and interdisciplinary research across the social and natural sciences, support early career faculty and train the next generation of students, link research with practice, and partner with other funders to amplify programmatic impact.
Evan Michelson, Program Director
Jessica Klynsma, Program Assistant
Isabella Gee, Program Associate
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