Adam Ali SM ’25 was a Graduate Research Assistant at the MIT Center for Energy & Environmental Policy Research (CEEPR). With a background in Petroleum Engineering and Business Administration from Louisiana State University, he blends hands-on technical expertise with strategic business acumen to advance the energy sector. At MIT CEEPR, his research focused on understanding the system-level impact of 24/7 Low-Carbon Power Procurement.
As part of NextGen’s program, Adam Ali SM ’25 presented his research with global energy leaders, sparking valuable discussions on the pathways for achieving a low-carbon energy future during CERAWEEK. Here he shares his experience at the conference and at TPP.
What is CERAWeek, and why did you apply to the NextGen Cohort?
CERAWeek is widely recognized as the foremost annual gathering in the global energy sector—often described as “the Super Bowl of the energy industry.” The week-long event brings together over 450 C-suite executives, 80 ministers and senior government officials, and more than 10,000 participants from 2,000+ companies across 80 countries. It’s consistently ranked among the top five corporate leadership conferences in the world for its focus on conversations about the future of energy, technology, and climate.
The inaugural NextGen program was created to bring early-career researchers—graduate students, recent grads, and postdocs—into that high-level conversation at CERAWeek. It offered access to curated sessions, roundtables, networking events, and a technology showcase. I applied because it was a unique opportunity to be part of an international dialogue shaping the energy transition, and to share our research with practitioners and policymakers.
What research did you present?
At MIT CEEPR, under the guidance of Dr. John Parsons, I’ve been studying the impact of voluntary 24/7 low-carbon electricity procurement. Many companies and government agencies have committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions through carbon-free electricity (CFE) purchases. A high-profile example is Google’s commitment to match every hour of electricity consumption with CFE by 2030.
Our research explores the effectiveness of these voluntary commitments in decarbonizing the grid. Specifically, we use an investment planning tool for the power sector, GenX, to analyze how 24/7 CFE impacts wholesale electricity prices, investment in generation resources, and overall emissions outcomes. Presenting this work at CERAWeek opened the door to rich discussions with energy leaders about real-world challenges and implementation pathways for 24/7 low-carbon energy.
What’s next, and what will you miss about TPP?
After graduation, I’ll be joining Charles River Associates (CRA) as a Senior Associate in their Energy Practice group. I’m excited to bring my oil and gas background and what I’ve learned at MIT into an applied real-world setting where policy, economics, and technology intersect. I’ll definitely miss the tight-knit community of TPPers and the collaborative spirit at CEEPR. Being at MIT—with access to so many brilliant minds and seemingly unlimited resources—has been both exhilarating and humbling. It really is like trying to drink from a fire hydrant. These past two years flew by faster than I expected.
