Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago

Many of the greatest energy challenges today are not in the United States, but in places like India and China. That’s why the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) made conducting research in these vital countries one of their organizing missions. The institute started by putting people on the ground in India, creating EPIC-India in 2014 in order to confront this challenge through cutting-edge research and targeted engagement with local stakeholders.

Housed at the University of Chicago’s Centre in Delhi, EPIC-India is employing a comprehensive strategy to affect real change through foundational research to solve vital problems, policy engagement to create lasting impact, and communicating evidence to drive change. EPIC-India researchers work hand-in-hand with government and industry partners to identify innovative ideas, pilot them on the ground, and rigorously measure outcomes. This approach ensures the right questions are being answered and results can be scaled up into lasting policy changes.

Using this same approach, EPIC is laying the groundwork for EPIC-China and has formed a new research collaboration with the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) that will support a wide range of areas of interest between Chinese researchers and faculty from the University of Chicago focused on energy and environmental issues and policies. The five-year collaboration aims to generate fresh insights into pressing energy and environmental challenges, offering Chinese policymakers new tools to tackle important priorities such as cost-effective reductions in air pollution.