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Michael Craig

Assistant Professor in Energy Systems
Joint appointment with Industrial & Operations Engineering (IOE)
Sustainable Systems
Climate + Energy
Cities + Mobility + Built Environment
mtcraig@umich.edu
(734) 647-1723
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3010 Dana
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About

Michael grew up in Hershey, Pennsylvania, the Sweetest Place on Earth. His ASSET Lab researches how to equitably reduce global and local environmental impacts of energy systems while making those systems robust to future climate change. His research advances energy system models to address new challenges driven by decarbonization, climate adaptation, and equity objectives. He then applies these models to real-world systems to generate decision-relevant insights that account for engineering, economic, climatic, and policy features. His current interdisciplinary collaborations include climate scientists, hydrologists, economists, urban planners, epidemiologists, and diverse engineers. Michael has received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technology Office and Nuclear Energy University Program; U.S. National Science Foundation; Idaho National Laboratory; and University of Michigan’s Graham Institute for Sustainability. He is a Program Faculty at the Institute of Public Utilities; Faculty Affiliate of the Science, Technology, and Public Policy Certificate Program at the University of Michigan; and Contributing Author to Chapter 10 of the IPCC’s 6th Annual Review. Prior to his current position, he worked as a Research Engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. He received his PhD in Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University (’17), MS in Technology and Policy from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (‘14), and BA in Environmental Studies from Washington University in St. Louis (’10).

Publications

Google Scholars page
Research

Decarbonization of energy systems; power system optimization; markets, laws, and regulations governing energy systems; net-zero and negative emission systems; grid-scale energy storage; carbon capture and sequestration; climate change impacts on power systems

Education

PhD, Engineering and Public Policy, Carnegie Mellon University (2017)
MS, Technology and Policy Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2014)
BA, Environmental Studies (Ecology), Washington University in St. Louis (2010)

In the News
New center empowers Michigan communities to tackle renewable energy projects
July 19, 2023

New center empowers Michigan communities to tackle renewable energy projects

The University of Michigan’s Graham Sustainability Institute is launching the Center for EmPowering Communities to foster decarbonization solutions that advance community...

SEAS alum wins first place in DOE carbon competition
June 28, 2023

U-M team wins first place in DOE carbon competition

A team of University of Michigan graduates, including Greg Allinson (MS/MBA ’23) of the School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS), won first place in a Department...

Study evaluates potential decarbonization of industry through the use of small modular nuclear reactors
May 12, 2023

Study evaluates potential decarbonization of industry through use of small modular nuclear reactors

A new University of Michigan study evaluated the potential decarbonization of industry through the use of nuclear energy, specifically small modular nuclear reactors...

solar panels
April 25, 2023

Renewable energy zoning initiative expands to six states with funding from US Department of Energy

Contact: Jim Erickson An expanded renewable energy zoning database from the University of Michigan brings together more than 1,600 local ordinances from six Great Lakes...

Ritvik Jain (MS ’23)
April 21, 2023

Meet the future of Sustainable Systems: Ritvik Jain (MS ’23)

Why SEAS? For Ritvik Jain (MS ’23), choosing a graduate program came down to surrounding himself with people who cared deeply about sustainability as well as a place that...

nuclear
February 16, 2023

SEAS faculty projects receive grants from U-M Carbon Neutrality Acceleration Program

Four University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) faculty members and an academic and research program officer are the recipients of Carbon...

forest
News date
November 1, 2022

Research Highlights

More Tree Species to be Discovered A study involving more than 100 scientists from across the globe and the largest forest database yet assembled estimates that there are...

wind energy
August 10, 2022

U-M study: Local renewable energy employment can fully replace U.S. coal jobs nationwide

ericksn@umich.edu ANN ARBOR—Across the United States, local wind and solar jobs can fully replace the coal-plant jobs that will be lost as the nation's power-generation...

In the Media
09/02/2023
Michael Craig
How the power grid survived a hot, hot summer (POLITICO)
11/19/2022
Michael Craig
Local Renewable Energy Jobs Can Fully Replace U.S. Coal Jobs (Intelligent Living)
09/15/2022
Michael Craig
Facing Budget Shortfalls, These Schools Are Turning to the Sun (The New York Times)
09/13/2022
Michael Craig
Research Shows That Renewable Jobs Can Replace Those From Coal (Forbes)
07/01/2022
Michael Craig
Supreme Court EPA ruling sparks concerns, but won’t slow climate mitigation (Times Standard)
06/28/2022
Michael Craig
Bridging the Divide Between Energy and Climate Models, with Michael Craig (Resources Radio)
06/16/2022
Michael Craig
SEAS assistant professor Michael Craig wins IISE Energy Systems Division's Outstanding Young Investigator Award
11/09/2021
Michael Craig
Renewable energy in the U.S. nearly quadrupled in the past decade, report finds (The Washington Post)
07/19/2021
Michael Craig
Tomorrow's Hydropower Begins With Retrofitting Today's Dams (IEEE Spectrum)
07/01/2021
Michael Craig
U.S. electrical grids are not prepared for climate change (Marketplace on NPR)
06/28/2021
Michael Craig
How heat waves and AC propel a climate feedback loop (E&E News)
04/08/2021
Michael Craig
This source of greenhouse gas emissions might surprise you (GreenBiz)
02/24/2021
Michael Craig
When the Grid Goes Down, Can a Fleet of Batteries Replace It? (Wired)
02/18/2021
Michael Craig
The tragedy in Texas shows why we need to fundamentally reshape our electric grid (Fast Company)
02/18/2021
Michael Craig
Power experts cite gas constraints as main cause of ERCOT outages, but system planning questions remain (Utility Dive)
02/18/2021
Michael Craig
US needs to brace itself for more deadly storms, experts say (Associated Press)
02/17/2021
Michael Craig
Texas blackouts show how vulnerable power grid is to climate change (CNBC)
02/17/2021
Michael Craig
More deadly storms coming so prepare better, experts say (The Washington Post)
02/17/2021
Michael Craig
How one Texas storm exposed an energy grid unprepared for climate change (NBC News)
03/12/2020
Michael Craig
“Apartment dwellers at new complex benefit from rooftop solar panels.” NPR
03/09/2020
Michael Craig
“Energy efficient lights conserve 18 million kilowatt-hours over four years.” The GW Hatchet
10/16/2019
Michael Craig
“S.C. solar fight erupts over PURPA.” EnergyWire
09/19/2019
Michael Craig
“Why climate activists and U-M administrators clashed over plans for carbon neutrality.” Planet Detroit
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