Eric Martinot has been writing and teaching on renewable energy policy and economics for 25 years, with over 70 publications in this field. He is widely recognized and regarded around the world. He holds a PhD in Energy and Resources from the University of California Berkeley and a BS in Electrical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was formerly a senior energy specialist with the World Bank, where he analyzed the lessons and experience with renewable energy markets and investments in developing countries, and guided investment strategies by the World Bank and other UN agencies.
Many of his publications have become seminal in the field. He is perhaps best known for his highly-researched and peer-reviewed publications, the REN21 Renewables Global Status Report and the REN21 Renewables Global Futures Report, both of which have become standard international references. In 2013, he delivered seminars on the future of renewable energy based on his REN21 reports at more than 50 leading business, academic, and policy organizations and agencies around the world, as well as a TEDx talk.
He is currently section editor (power sector) for the Springer journal Current Sustainable/Renewable Energy Reports and was formerly on the editorial board of the journal Energy Policy. He is currently writing a series of four books on renewable energy futures and electricity markets and policy, to be published by Springer in 2016-2017, along with several other articles on the integration and balancing of high shares of renewable energy in the power sector.
Since 2003, he has edited the renewable energy information web site, www.martinot.info, which receives 10,000 visits per month (also with links to all his publications and talks).
Born in New York City and raised in Berkeley, California, Dr. Martinot has lived in 5 countries and traveled professionally in 37 countries. He was a Fulbright Fellow in Russia during 1993-1994 and speaks Russian. He has lived full-time in China and Japan for the past ten years.
Research Interest
Electricity markets, policy, and planning; renewable energy markets, policies, finance and business models; long-term global energy transitions; renewable energy in China
Previous Academic Positions
2009-2014 Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand), Adjunct Teaching Associate
2005-2008 Tsinghua University, Tsinghua-BP Clean Energy Center, Senior Visiting Scholar
2002-2004 University of Maryland, School of Public Policy, Adjunct Professor
1999-2000 Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Adjunct Professor
Previous Research Positions
2008-2014 Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (Tokyo), Senior Research Director
2005-2013 REN21 Renewable Energy Policy Network, Lead Author and Research Director
2004-2008 Worldwatch Institute, Senior Research Fellow
2000-2003 World Bank, Senior Energy and Environment Specialist
1997-2000 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Convening Lead Author
1997-1999 Stockholm Environment Institute, Senior Scientist
1996-1997 National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Consultant
1994-1999 World Bank, Consultant
International Affiliations and Collaborations (Ongoing)
China National Renewable Energy Center (Beijing), Senior Fellow, 2014-present
Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (Potsdam, Germany), Senior Fellow, 2014-present
California Public Utilities Commission (San Francisco), Senior Fellow, 2014-present
Journal Current Sustainable/Renewable Energy Reports (Springer), Section Editor, 2014-present
Journal Energy Policy (Elsevier), Member of Editorial Board, 2006-2013
Bloomberg New Energy Finance (London), Finance for Resilience, Advisor, 2013-present
Japan Renewable Energy Foundation (Tokyo), Senior Policy Advisor, 2012-present
United Nations University (Tokyo), Lecturer, 2011-present
International Energy Agency-Renewable Energy Technology Deployment (RETD), Advisor, 2009-2011
World Future Council (Hamburg), Expert Commission on Cities and Climate Change, 2009-present
University of Otago (New Zealand), Center for Sustainable Cities, Research Associate, 2009-present
World Council for Renewable Energy (Bonn), Chairperson, 2006-present
UNESCO, Energy For Sustainable Development In Asia e-Learning Course, Lecturer, 2011
Selected Publications
[1] Eric Martinot, REN21 Renewables Global Futures Report (Paris: REN21 Renewable Energy Policy Network, 2013), 76 pp.
[2] Eric Martinot, "Renewable power for China: Past, present, and future," Frontiers of Energy and Power Engineering in China 4(3): 287-294 (2010).
[3] Janet Sawin and Eric Martinot, REN21 Renewables 2010 Global Status Report (Paris: REN21 Renewable Energy Policy Network, 2010), 80 pp.
[4] Zhang Xiliang, Wang Ruoshui, Huo Molin, and Eric Martinot, “A study of the role played by renewable energies in China's sustainable energy supply,”Energy Policy 35(11): 4392-4399 (2010).
[5] Eric Martinot and Li Junfeng,"China's latest leap: An update on renewables policy," Renewable Energy World 13(4): 51-57 (Jul/Aug 2010).
[6] Eric Martinot, Global Status Report on Local Renewable Energy Policies, REN21 Renewable Energy Policy Network, Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (ISEP), and ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability (Tokyo: ISEP, 2009), 59 pp.
[7] Eric Martinot, Renewables 2007 Global Status Report (Paris: REN21 Renewable Energy Policy Network and Washington, DC: Worldwatch Institute, 2008), 51 pp.
[8] Eric Martinot, "Powering China’s development: the role of renewable energy," Renewable Energy World 11(1): 24-35 (Jan/Feb 2008).
[9] Eric Martinot and Li Junfeng, Powering China’s Development: The Role of Renewable Energy, Worldwatch Research Paper 175 (Washington, DC: Worldwatch Institute, 2007), 48 pp.
[10] Climate Change 2007: Mitigation of Climate Change, Working Group III contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Cambridge University Press, 2007), 862 pp. ISBN-13 9780521705981. (Martinot was contributing author.)
[11] Eric Martinot, Carmen Dienst, Liu Weiliang, and Chai Qimin, “Renewable energy futures: targets, scenarios and pathways,” Annual Review of Environment and Resources 32: 205-239 (2007).
[12] Eric Martinot, "China renewable energy roadmap: The international context and other roadmap experience," Eric Martinot, in proceedings of China Renewable Energy Development Strategy Workshop, October 28, 2005 (Beijing: Tsinghua University, Institute of Nuclear and New Energy Technology and Tsinghua-BP Clean Energy Research Center), pp. 166-187.
[13] Eric Martinot, Renewables 2005 Global Status Report, REN21 Renewable Energy Policy Network (Paris: REN21 and Washington, DC: Worldwatch Institute, 2005).
[14] Eric Martinot, Ryan Wiser, and Jan Hamrin, "Renewable energy markets and policies in the United States" (Center for Resource Solutions, San Francisco, 2005).
[15] Eric Martinot, "Global renewable energy markets and policies," New Academy Review 3(1): 56-67 (Spring 2004).
[16] Fred Beck and Eric Martinot, "Renewable energy policies and barriers," in Encyclopedia of Energy, ed. Cutler Cleveland (Academic Press/Elsevier Science, San Diego, 2004), pp. 365-383.
[17] Eric Martinot, "Indicators of investment and capacity for renewable energy," Renewable Energy World 7(5): 35-37 (2004).
[18] Eric Martinot, "Power sector restructuring and the environment: trends, policies, and GEF experience", in Electricity Reform: Social and Environmental Challenges, Njeri Wamukonya, editor (United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP Risoe Centre, Roskilde, Denmark, 2003), 256 pp.
[19] Eric Martinot, Akanksha Chaurey, Debra Lew, Jose Roberto Moreira, and Njeri Wamukonya, "Renewable energy markets in developing countries," Annual Review of Energy and the Environment 27: 309-348 (2002).
[20] Eric Martinot, "World Bank energy projects in China: Influences on environmental protection," Energy Policy 29(8): 581-594 (2001).
[21] Eric Martinot, "Renewable energy investment by the World Bank," Energy Policy 29(9): 689-700 (2001).
[22] IPCC Special Report on Methodological and Technological Issues in Technology Transfer (Geneva: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2000), 432 pp. (Martinot was convening lead author of chapters 4 and 5, and co-author of chapters 1 and 16.)
[23] Eric Martinot, Anil Cabraal, and Subodh Mathur, "World Bank/GEF solar home system projects: experiences and lessons learned 1993-2000," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 5(1): 39-57 (2001).
[24] Eric Martinot, "Renewable energy in Russia: markets, development and technology transfer," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 3: 49-75 (1999).
[25] Eric Martinot, "Energy efficiency and renewable energy in Russia: transaction barriers, market intermediation, and capacity building," Energy Policy 26(11): 905-915 (1998).
[26] Eric Martinot, Jonathan Sinton, and Brent Haddad, "International technology transfer for climate change mitigation and the cases of Russia and China," Annual Review of Energy and the Environment 22: 357-401 (1997).
[27] Eric Martinot, Investments to Improve the Energy Efficiency of Existing Residential Buildings in Countries of the Former Soviet Union, Eric Martinot, Studies of Economies in Transformation No. 24 (Washington, DC: World Bank, 1997), 151 pp.
[28] Eric Martinot, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Russia: Perspectives and Problems of International Technology Transfer and Investment, Ph.D. Dissertation, Energy and Resources Group, University of California at Berkeley, 1995, 369 pp.
Selected Research Projects
[1] Lead Author and Research Director, REN21 Renewables Global Status Report, 2005-2010. An annual internationally-recognized and extensively peer-reviewed publication. Funded annually by the by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety (BMU).
[2] Research Director, “MetroCAP: Greening Local Government,” 2008-2010. Three-year project to support five Japanese cities, including Tokyo and Yokohama, with developing renewable energy policies and strategies, funded by the UK Government.
[3] Report Author and Research Director, REN21 Renewables Global Futures Report, 2013. An intensively researched and extensively peer-reviewed publication combining information from 50 published energy scenarios and over 250 other references. Primary funding for the project was provided by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety (BMU). Supplemental funding was also provided by the American Council on Renewable Energy, the Public Power Corporation of Greece, the South African National Energy Development Institute, the United Nations Foundation, and the World Future Council.
Recent Academic Conference and Seminar Presentations
[1] The Global Energy Transformation, Abu Dhabi, UAE, organized by the International Renewable Energy Agency (November 2, 2014)
[2] Fifth St. Gallen Forum for Management of Renewable Energies, St. Gallen, Switzerland, organized by the University of St. Gallen, Institute for Economy and the Environment (May 22, 2014)
[3] Auckland Conversations: Low-Carbon Auckland (New Zealand), organized by the Auckland University of Technology and the Auckland City Council (April 4, 2014)
[4] The Energy Conference 2014, Wellington, New Zealand, organized by the National Energy Research Institute (NERI) and Otago University (March 19, 2014)
[5] REvision 2014 Conference, Tokyo, organized by the Japan Renewable Energy Foundation (February 24, 2014)
[6] International Community Power Conference, Fukushima, Japan, organized by the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies (January 30, 2014)
[7] Transforming Business Conference, Wellington, New Zealand, organized by the Sustainable Business Network of New Zealand (September 4, 2013)
[8] Berlin Energy Club, Berlin, organized by the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety (BMU) (June 1, 2013)
[9] TEDx Tokyo (May 11, 2013)
[10] Bloomberg New Energy Finance Summit, New York City (April 23, 2013)
[11] Conference of the American Solar Energy Society, Baltimore, Maryland (April 17, 2013)
[12] Conference on Pathways to 100% Renewable Energy, San Francisco, organized by the Renewables 100% Policy Institute and the World Future Council (April 16, 2013)
[13] REvision 2013 Conference, Tokyo, organized by the Japan Renewable Energy Foundation (February 25, 2013)
[14] Abu Dhabi International Renewable Energy Conference, Abu Dhabi, UAE, organized by the REN21 Renewable Energy Policy Network and the United Arab Emirates (January 10, 2013)
[15-46] During 2013, sponsored by the REN21 Renewable Energy Policy Network, Eric Martinot conducted a global seminar tour on his research and REN21 publications. He delivered specially-organized 1½-hour seminars with presentation and discussion at the following universities and organizations:
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• University of California at Berkeley
• University of Colorado at Boulder
• Colorado School of Mines
• Free University of Berlin
• Frankfurt School of Management
• University of Liechtenstein, Vaduz
• Imperial College of London
• World Economic Forum, Geneva
• International Renewable Energy Agency, Bonn, Germany
• World Bank, Washington, DC
• KfW Development Bank, Frankfurt
• German Agency for International Development (GIZ), Eschborn
• German Ministry for Economic Development (BMZ), Bonn
• UN Industrial Development Organization, Vienna
• UN Environment Program, Paris
• UN Headquarters, New York
• Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Kanagawa, Japan
• National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Tokyo
• Japan Ministry of Environment, Tokyo
• Tokyo Municipal Government, Tokyo
• Bloomberg New Energy Finance, London
• International Solar Energy Society, Washington DC
• Solar Electric Power Association, Washington DC
• U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado
• Rocky Mountain Institute, Boulder, Colorado
• Energy Foundation, San Francisco
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California
• California Public Utilities Commission, San Francisco
• Greenpeace International, Hamburg
• Eurelectric, Brussels
• Oeko Institute, Berlin
[47] Energy and Climate Seminar Series, Auckland, New Zealand, organized by the Institution of Engineering and Technology of New Zealand (March 15, 2011)
[48] Delhi International Renewable Energy Conference, New Delhi, India, organized by the Government of India and the REN21 Renewable Energy Policy Network (October 27, 2010)
[49] Seminar on the Future of Renewable Energy, Tokyo, organized by the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI) of the Japan Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) (May 25, 2010)
[50] Sustainable Cities Seminar Series, Wellington, New Zealand, organized by the University of Otago, Center for Sustainable Cities (March 30, 2010)
[51] Smart Grids Summit, Wellington, New Zealand, organized by the National Energy Research Institute (NERI) of New Zealand (February 23, 2010)
[52] Hamburg City Climate Conference, Hamburg, Germany, organized by the City of Hamburg (November 17, 2009)
[53] TBLI Conference Asia 2009, Yokohama, Japan, organized by TBLI Group (Triple Bottom Line Investing) (May 27, 2009)
[54] Local Renewables Conference, Freiburg, Germany, organized by ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability (April 27, 2009)