Earth Scientist, Team Leader
Earth Scientist, Team Leader

Biography

Dr. Gokul Iyer is an Earth scientist at the Joint Global Change Research Institute (JGCRI), a partnership between Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the University of Maryland. Iyer is a team leader for the Human-Earth Systems Science: Analysis team within JGCRI. Iyer has over a decade of experience in integrated modeling of energy, economy, climate, water, agriculture, and land systems at global to national to subnational scales. At JGCRI, Iyer leads and manages a variety of projects related to energy and minerals trade; long-term energy system transitions; deep decarbonization strategies; electricity capacity expansion; climate impacts on energy systems; and energy-water system interactions. In addition, Iyer has experience leading research on topics related to the sustainable development implications of decarbonization and the role of technology diffusion, technological change, and institutions in long-term energy system transitions. Iyer has a vast publishing record of over 60 peer-reviewed publications with more than a dozen in top journals, such as Science and the Nature family of journals. His work has been featured in The Hill, the Washington Post, and Scientific American, among others. Iyer was also a contributing author to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). 

Research Interest

  • Integrated modeling of energy, economy, climate, water, agriculture, and land systems
  • Energy system transitions
  • Decarbonization strategies
  • Technology, technological change, and institutions

Education

  • PhD, Environmental Policy, University of Maryland, USA
  • MTech, Energy Systems Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology - Bombay, India
  • BTech, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur, India

Awards and Recognitions

  • Ronald L. Brodzinski Award for Early Career Exceptional Achievement, PNNL, 2022

Publications

2022

  • Ou, Y., Iyer, G., Fawcett, A., Hultman, N., McJeon, H., Ragnauth, S., Smith, S.J. and Edmonds, J., 2022. "Role of non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions in limiting global warming." One Earth, 5(12), pp.1312-1315. PNNL-ACT-SA-10703. doi:10.1016/j.oneear.2022.11.012
  • Zhang, Y., Binsted, M., Iyer, G., Kim, S., Wild, T. and Zhao, M., 2022. "Long-term basin-scale hydropower expansion under alternative scenarios in a global multisector model." Environmental Research Letters 17, 114029. PNNL-SA-176400. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ac9ac9
  • Iyer, G., Ou, Y., Edmonds, J., Fawcett, A., Hultman, N., McFarland, J., Fuhrman, J., Waldhoff, S., McJeon, H., 2022. "Policy Brief: The path to 1.5 °C requires ratcheting of climate pledges." Nature Climate Change.  pp. 1-2. PNNL-SA-177898. doi: 10.1038/s41558-022-01517-z
  • Iyer, G., Ou, Y., Edmonds, J., Fawcett, A., Hultman, N., McFarland, J., Fuhrman, J., Waldhoff, S., McJeon, H., 2022. "Ratcheting of climate pledges needed to limit peak global warming." Nature Climate Change. pp. 1-7. PNNL-SA-172425. doi:10.1038/s41558-022-01508-0
  • Ou Y., G.C. Iyer, J.A. Edmonds, A. Fawcett, A. Fawcett, N. Hultman, and J. McFarland, et al. 2022. "Transparency crucial to Paris climate scenarios—Response." Science 375, no. 6583:828 - 828. PNNL-SA-169866. doi:10.1126/science.abn9667
  • Baptista L.B., R. Schaeffer, H. van Soest, P. Fragkos, P. Rochedo, D. Van Vuuren, and R.G. Dewi, et al. 2022. "Good practice policies to bridge the emissions gap in key countries." Global Environmental Change 73. PNNL-ACT-SA-10535. doi:10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2022.102472
  • Binsted M.T., G.C. Iyer, P.L. Patel, N.T. Graham, Y. Ou, Z. Khan, and N. Kholod, et al. 2022. "GCAM-USA v5.3_water_dispatch: Integrated modeling of subnational US energy, water, and land systems within a global framework." Geoscientific Model Development 15, no. 6:2533-2559. PNNL-SA-162677. doi:10.5194/gmd-15-2533-2022
  • Edwards M.R., Y. Cui, M. Bindl, N. Hultman, K. Mathur, H.C. McJeon, and G.C. Iyer, et al. 2022. "Quantifying the regional stranded asset risks from new coal plants under 1.5°C." Environmental Research Letters 17, no. 2:Art. No. 24029. PNNL-ACT-SA-10559. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ac4ec2
  • Sampedro Martinez de Estivariz J., G.C. Iyer, S.M. Msangi, S.T. Waldhoff, M.I. Hejazi, and J.A. Edmonds. 2022. "Implications of Different Income Distributions for Future Residential Energy Demand in the U.S." Environmental Research Letters 17, no. 1:Art. No. 014031. PNNL-SA-157121. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ac43df
  • Zapata V., D. Gernaat, S.G. Yalew, S. Santos Da Silva, G.C. Iyer, M.I. Hejazi, and D. Van Vuuren. 2022. "Climate change impacts on the energy system: A model comparison." Environmental Research Letters 17, no. 3:Art. No. 34036. PNNL-SA-158893. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ac5141

2021

  • Peng, W., Iyer, G., Bosetti, V., Chaturvedi, V., Edmonds, J., Fawcett, A.A., Hallegatte, S., Victor, D.G., van Vuuren, D. and Weyant, J., 2021. “Climate policy models need to get real about people—here’s how.” Nature, 594 (7862), pp.174-176
  • Peng, W., Iyer, G., Binsted, M., Marlon, J., Clarke, L., Edmonds, J.A. and Victor, D.G., 2021. “To achieve deep cuts in US emissions, state-driven policy is only slightly more expensive than nationally uniform policy.” Nature Climate Change, 11(11), pp.911-912
  • Zhao, M., Binsted, M., Wild, T., Khan, Z., Yarlagadda, B., Iyer, G., Vernon, C.R., Patel, P., da Silva, S.R.S. and Calvin, K.V., 2021. "plutus: An R package to calculate electricity investments and stranded assets from the Global Change Analysis Model (GCAM)." Journal of Open Source Software, 6(65), p.3212. 
  • Iyer, G., Clarke, L., Edmonds, J., Fawcett, A., Fuhrman, J., McJeon, H. and Waldhoff, S., 2021. “The role of carbon dioxide removal in net-zero emissions pledges.” Energy and Climate Change, 2, p.100043.
  • Cohen S., G.C. Iyer, M. Brown, J. Macknick, M.A. Wise, M.T. Binsted, and N. Voisin, et al. 2021. "How structural differences influence cross-model consistency: An electric sector case study." Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews 144. PNNL-SA-149703. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2021.111009
  • Ou, Y. †, Iyer, G. †, Clarke, L., Edmonds, J., Fawcett, A.A., Hultman, N., McFarland, J.R., Binsted, M., Cui, R., Fyson, C. and Geiges, A., 2021. “Can updated climate pledges limit warming well below 2° C?” Science, 374(6568), pp.693-695.
  • Duan H., S. Zhou, K. Jiang, C. Bertram, M. Harmsen, E. Kriegler, and D. Van Vuuren, et al. 2021. "Assessing China’s efforts to pursue the 1.5 degrees C warming limit." Science 372, no. 6540:378-385. PNNL-ACT-SA-10543. doi:10.1126/science.aba8767
  • Fragkos P., H. van Soest, R. Schaeffer, L. Reedman, A. Koberle, N. Macaluso, and S. Evangelopoulou, et al. 2021. "Energy System Transitions and Low-carbon Pathways in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, EU-28, India, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russia, and United States." Energy 216. PNNL-ACT-SA-10480. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2020.119385
  • Graham N.T., G.C. Iyer, M.A. Wise, M. Hejazi, and T. Wild. 2021. "Future evolution of virtual water trading in the United States electricity sector." Environmental Research Letters 16, no. 12:Art. No. 124010. PNNL-SA-164375. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ac3289
  • Graham N.T., G.C. Iyer, M.I. Hejazi, S.H. Kim, P.L. Patel, and M.T. Binsted. 2021. "Agricultural impacts of sustainable water use in the United States." Scientific Reports 11, no. 1:17917. PNNL-SA-155855. doi:10.1038/s41598-021-96243-5
  • Harmsen M., E. Kriegler, D. vanVuuren, K. van der Wijst, G. Luderer, R. Cui, and O. Dessens, et al. 2021. "Integrated Assessment Model Diagnostics: Key indicators and model evolution." Environmental Research Letters 16, no. 5:054046. PNNL-ACT-SA-10534. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/abf964
  • Khan Z., G.C. Iyer, P.L. Patel, S.H. Kim, M.I. Hejazi, C.D. Burleyson, and M.A. Wise. 2021. "Impacts of long-term temperature change and variability on electricity investments." Nature Communications 12, no. 1:Article No. 1643. PNNL-SA-150975. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-21785-1
  • Khan Z., T.B. Wild, G.C. Iyer, M.I. Hejazi, and C.R. Vernon. 2021. "The future evolution of energy-water-agriculture interconnectivity across the U.S." Environmental Research Letters 16, no. 6:065010. PNNL-SA-159533. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ac046c
  • Li X., Y. Zhou, M.I. Hejazi, M.A. Wise, C.R. Vernon, G.C. Iyer, and W. Chen. 2021. "Global urban growth between 1870 and 2100 from integrated high resolution mapped data and urban dynamic modeling." Communications Earth & Environment 2. PNNL-SA-158560. doi:10.1038/s43247-021-00273-w
  • Ou Y., M.T. Binsted, G.C. Iyer, P.L. Patel, and M.A. Wise. 2021. "US state-level capacity expansion pathways with improved modeling of the power sector dynamics within a multisector model." Energy Strategy Reviews 38. PNNL-SA-161771. doi:10.1016/j.esr.2021.100739
  • Peng W., G.C. Iyer, M.T. Binsted, J. Marlon, L.E. Clarke, J.A. Edmonds, and D. Victor. 2021. "The surprisingly inexpensive cost of state-driven emission control strategies." Nature Climate Change 11, no. 9:738-756. PNNL-ACT-SA-10452. doi:10.1038/s41558-021-01128-0
  • Santos Da Silva S., M.I. Hejazi, G.C. Iyer, T. Wild, M.T. Binsted, F. Miralles-Wilhelm, and P.L. Patel, et al. 2021. "Power sector investment implications of climate impacts on renewable resources in Latin America and the Caribbean." Nature Communications 12, no. 1:Article No. 1276. PNNL-SA-154178. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-21502-y
  • Santos Da Silva S.R., G.C. Iyer, T.B. Wild, M. Hejazi, C.R. Vernon, M.T. Binsted, and F. Miralles-Wilhelm. 2021. "The implications of uncertain renewable resource potentials for global wind and solar electricity projections." Environmental Research Letters 16, no. 12:Art. No. 124060. PNNL-SA-162946. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ac3c6b
  • van Soest H., L. Aleluia Reis, L.B. Baptista, C. Bertram, J. Despres, L. Drouet, and M. den Elzen, et al. 2021. "Global roll-out of comprehensive policy measures may aid in bridging emissions gap." Nature Communications 12. PNNL-ACT-SA-10536. doi:10.1038/s41467-021-26595-z
  • Vernon C.R., J.S. Rice, N. Zuljevic, K. Mongird, K.D. Nelson, G.C. Iyer, and N. Voisin, et al. 2021. "cerf: A Python package to evaluate the feasibility and costs of power plant siting for alternative futures." Journal of Open Source Software 6, no. 65:Art. No. 3601. PNNL-SA-164611. doi:10.21105/joss.03601
  • Zhao X., K.V. Calvin, M.A. Wise, and G.C. Iyer. 2021. "The role of global agricultural market integration in multiregional economic modeling: using hindcast experiments to validate an Armington model." Economic Analysis and Policy 72. PNNL-SA-158709. doi:10.1016/j.eap.2021.07.007

2020

  • Binsted, M., Iyer, G., Edmonds, J., Vogt-Schilb, A., Arguello, R., Cadena, A., Delgado, R., Feijoo, F., Lucena, A.F., McJeon, H. and Miralles-Wilhelm, F., 2020. “Stranded asset implications of the Paris Agreement in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Environmental Research Letters, 15(4), p.044026
  • Binsted M.T., G.C. Iyer, Y. Cui, Z. Khan, K.R. Dorheim, and L.E. Clarke. 2020. "Evaluating long-term model-based scenarios of the energy system." Energy Strategy Reviews 32. PNNL-SA-150857. doi:10.1016/j.esr.2020.100551
  • Burleyson C.D., G.C. Iyer, M.I. Hejazi, S.H. Kim, P. Kyle, J.S. Rice, and A.D. Smith, et al. 2020. "Future western U.S. building electricity consumption in response to climate and population drivers: A comparative study of the impact of model structure." Energy 208. PNNL-SA-151017. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2020.118312
  • Edmonds J.A., C. Nichols, M. Adamantiades, J. Bistline, J.E. Huster, G.C. Iyer, and N. Johnson, et al. 2020. "Could congressionally mandated incentives lead to deployment of large-scale CO2 capture, facilities for enhanced oil recovery CO2 markets and geologic CO2 storage?." Energy Policy 146. PNNL-SA-154457. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111775
  • Feijoo F., G.C. Iyer, M.T. Binsted, and J.A. Edmonds. 2020. "US energy system transitions under cumulative emissions budgets." Climatic Change 162. PNNL-ACT-SA-10320. doi:10.1007/s10584-020-02670-0
  • Roelfsema M., H. van Soest, M. Harmsen, D. Van Vuuren, C. Bertram, M. den Elzen, and N. Hohne, et al. 2020. "Taking stock of national climate policies to evaluate implementation of the Paris Agreement." Nature Communications 11, no. 1:Article No. 2096. PNNL-ACT-SA-10488. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-15414-6
  • Schaeffer R., A. Koberle, H. van Soest, C. Bertram, G. Luderer, K. Riahi, and V. Krey, et al. 2020. "Comparing Transformation Pathways Across Major Economies." Climatic Change 162, no. 4:1787-1803. PNNL-ACT-SA-10439. doi:10.1007/s10584-020-02837-9
  • Yalew S.G., M. Van Vliet, D. Gernaat, F. Ludwig, A. Miara, C. Park, and E. Byers, et al. 2020. "Impacts of Climate Change on Energy Systems in Global and Regional Scenarios." Nature Energy 5, no. 10:794-802. PNNL-SA-145429. doi:10.1038/s41560-020-0664-z

2019

  • Bond-Lamberty B., K.R. Dorheim, Y. Cui, R.L. Horowitz, A.C. Snyder, K.V. Calvin, and L. Feng, et al. 2019. "gcamdata: An R Package for Preparation, Synthesis, and Tracking of Input Data for the GCAM Integrated Human-Earth Systems Model." Journal of Open Research Software 7, no. 1:Article No. 6. PNNL-SA-135553. doi:10.5334/jors.232
  • Calvin K.V., P.L. Patel, L.E. Clarke, G.R. Asrar, B. Bond-Lamberty, R. Cui, and A. Di Vittorio, et al. 2019. "GCAM v5.1: Representing the linkages between energy, water, land, climate, and economic systems." Geoscientific Model Development 12, no. 2:677-698. PNNL-SA-137098. doi:10.5194/gmd-12-677-2019
  • Cui R., N. Hultman, M.R. Edwards, L. He, A. Sen, K. Surana, and H.C. McJeon, et al. 2019. "Quantifying operational lifetimes for coal power plants under the Paris goals." Nature Communications 10. PNNL-ACT-SA-10417. doi:10.1038/s41467-019-12618-3
  • Iyer G.C. 2019. "A Decent Life." Nature Energy 4, no. 12:1010-1011. PNNL-ACT-SA-10451. doi:10.1038/s41560-019-0496-x
  • Iyer G.C., M. Brown, S. Cohen, J. Macknick, P.L. Patel, M.A. Wise, and M.T. Binsted, et al. 2019. "Improving consistency among models of overlapping scope in multi-sector studies: The case of electricity capacity expansion scenarios." Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews 116. PNNL-SA-134710. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2019.109416
  • Krey V., F. Guo, P. Kolp, W. Zhou, R. Schaeffer, A. Awasthy, and C. Bertram, et al. 2019. "Looking under the hood: A comparison of techno-economic assumptions across national and global integrated assessment models." Energy 172. PNNL-ACT-SA-10389. doi:10.1016/j.energy.2018.12.131
  • Liu L., M.I. Hejazi, G.C. Iyer, and B. Forman. 2019. "Implications of water constraints on electricity capacity expansion in the United States." Nature Sustainability 2, no. 3:206-213. PNNL-SA-129550. doi:10.1038/s41893-019-0235-0
  • Luderer G., M. Pehl, A. Arvesen, T. Gibon, B. Bodirsky, H. Sytze de Boer, and O. Fricko, et al. 2019. "Environmental co-benefits and adverse side-effects of alternative power sector decarbonization strategies." Nature Communications 10. PNNL-ACT-SA-10352. doi:10.1038/s41467-019-13067-8
  • Wise M.A., P.L. Patel, Z. Khan, S.H. Kim, M.I. Hejazi, and G.C. Iyer. 2019. "Representing power sector detail and flexibility in a multi-sector model." Energy Strategy Reviews 26. PNNL-SA-138629. doi:10.1016/j.esr.2019.100411

2018

  • Feijoo F., G.C. Iyer, C. Avraam, S.A. Siddiqui, L.E. Clarke, S. Sankaranarayanan, and M.T. Binsted, et al. 2018. "The future of natural gas infrastructure development in the United states." Applied Energy 228. PNNL-SA-132268. doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.06.037
  • Luderer, G., Vrontisi, Z., Bertram, C., Edelenbosch, O.Y., Pietzcker, R.C., Rogelj, J., De Boer, H.S., Drouet, L., Emmerling, J., Fricko, O., Fujimori, S., … , Iyer, G., et al. 2018. "Residual fossil CO2 emissions in 1.5–2 C pathways." Nature Climate Change 8(7), 626-633.
  • Fragkos P., K. Fragkiadakis, L. Paroussos, R. Pierfederici, S.S. Vishwanathan, A. Koberle, and G.C. Iyer, et al. 2018. "Coupling national and global models to explore policy impacts of NDCs." Energy Policy 118. PNNL-ACT-SA-10309. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2018.04.002
  • Hodson E.L., M. Brown, S. Cohen, S. Showalter, M.A. Wise, F. Wood, and J. Caron, et al. 2018. "U.S. Energy Sector Impacts of Technology Innovation, Fuel Price, and Electric Sector CO2 Policy: Results from the EMF 32 Model Intercomparison Study." Energy Economics 73. PNNL-SA-133176. doi:10.1016/j.eneco.2018.03.027
  • Iyer G.C., and J.A. Edmonds. 2018. "Interpreting energy scenarios." Nature Energy 3. PNNL-ACT-SA-10305. doi:10.1038/s41560-018-0145-9
  • Iyer G.C., K.V. Calvin, L.E. Clarke, J.A. Edmonds, N. Hultman, C.A. Hartin, and H.C. McJeon, et al. 2018. "Implications of sustainable development considerations for comparability across nationally determined contributions." Nature Climate Change 8. PNNL-SA-121202. doi:10.1038/s41558-017-0039-z
  • McCollum D., W. Zhou, C. Bertram, H. Sytze de Boer, V. Bosetti, S. Busch, and J. Despres, et al. 2018. "Energy investment needs for fulfilling the Paris Agreement and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals." Nature Energy 3, no. 7:589-599. PNNL-ACT-SA-10308. doi:10.1038/s41560-018-0179-z

2017

  • Davidson C.L., R.T. Dahowski, H.C. McJeon, L.E. Clarke, G.C. Iyer, and M. Muratori. 2017. "The value of CCS under current policy scenarios: NDCs and beyond." Energy Procedia 114. PNNL-SA-121411. doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.1885
  • Iyer G.C., and J.A. Edmonds. 2017. "Explaining differences." Nature Climate Change 7. PNNL-ACT-SA-10208. doi:10.1038/nclimate3200
  • Iyer G.C., C.M. Ledna, L.E. Clarke, J.A. Edmonds, H.C. McJeon, P. Kyle, and J. Williams. 2017. "Measuring Progress from Nationally Determined Contributions to Mid-Century Strategies." Nature Climate Change 7. PNNL-ACT-SA-10269. doi:10.1038/s41558-017-0005-9

2016

  • Aldy J., W. Pizer, M. Tavoni, L. Reis, K. Akimoto, G.J. Blanford, and C. Carraro, et al. 2016. "Economic Tools to Promote Transparency and Comparability in the Paris Agreement." Nature Climate Change 6. PNNL-ACT-SA-10174. doi:10.1038/nclimate3106
  • Iyer G.C., L.E. Clarke, J.A. Edmonds, and N. Hultman. 2016. "Do national-level policies to promote low-carbon technology deployment pay off for the investor countries?." Energy Policy 98. PNNL-ACT-SA-10178. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2016.08.017

2015

  • Fawcett A., G.C. Iyer, L.E. Clarke, J.A. Edmonds, N. Hultman, H.C. McJeon, and J. Rogelj, et al. 2015. "Can Paris pledges avert severe climate change?." Science 350, no. 6265:1168-1169. PNNL-ACT-SA-10111. doi:10.1126/science.aad5761
  • Iyer G.C., J.A. Edmonds, A.A. Fawcett, N. Hultman, J. Alsalam, G.R. Asrar, and K.V. Calvin, et al. 2015. "The contribution of Paris to limit global warming to 2 °C." Environmental Research Letters 10, no. 12:Article No. 125002. PNNL-SA-111720. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/10/12/125002
  • Iyer G.C., L.E. Clarke, J.A. Edmonds, B.P. Flannery, N. Hultman, H.C. McJeon, and D. Victor. 2015. "Improved Representation of Investment Decisions in Assessments of CO2 Mitigation." Nature Climate Change 5, no. 5:436-440. PNNL-ACT-SA-10042. doi:10.1038/nclimate2553
  • Iyer G.C., L.E. Clarke, J.A. Edmonds, N. Hultman, and H.C. McJeon. 2015. "Long-term payoffs of near-term low-carbon deployment policies." Energy Policy 86. PNNL-ACT-SA-10084. doi:10.1016/j.enpol.2015.08.004
  • Iyer G.C., N. Hultman, J. Eom, H.C. McJeon, P.L. Patel, and L.E. Clarke. 2015. "Diffusion of low-carbon technologies and the feasibility of long-term climate targets." Technological Forecasting and Social Change 90, no. Part A:103-118. PNNL-SA-93434. doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2013.08.025

2014

  • Iyer G.C., N. Hultman, S. Fetter, and S.H. Kim. 2014. "Implications of Small Modular Reactors for Climate Change Mitigation." Energy Economics 45. PNNL-ACT-SA-10015. doi:10.1016/j.eneco.2014.06.023