Parth Vaishnav, University of Michigan, School for Environment and Sustainability
Location: EECS 1311
Time: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM
Abstract:
The energy transition will deepen interactions between sectors, requiring models that co-optimize objectives across sectors. I will present three studies that co-optimize between different sectors. The first will focus on the intersection between the buildings and the electricity sector. Electrifying buildings using heat pumps is essential for decarbonization but may exacerbate trade-offs between the sometimes-conflicting objectives of building occupants, power systems, and society. To navigate these trade-offs, we develop a modeling framework that rapidly co-optimizes home energy bills, indoor temperatures, power system air pollution externalities, and the monetized cost of meeting peak demand. The second study will estimate the impact of controlled charging of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and vehicle-to-home charging on lifetime GHG emissions and homeowner utility bills. Compared to uncontrolled charging, optimizing charging and using EV batteries to optimally shift electricity purchases for other household loads, a strategy referred to as V2H, could reduce emissions from non-EV loads by more than EV charging increases emissions in 69% of U.S. counties, covering 62% of the population. V2H could cut costs by $3800 (5th-95th percentile range $2400-$5600) or 61% (37%-91%), and life-cycle emissions by 38tCO2e (24tCO2e-57tCO2e) or 89% (50%-150%). In the third study, we present a consequential emissions analysis of vehicle to grid charging of BEVs, which accounts for induced structural changes in the power system. This induced investment reverses V2G’s emission effects: estimates ignoring capacity changes show BEVs increase grid emissions externalities by $240–610 per BEV-year, whereas estimates accounting for induced renewable investments show adding BEVs reduces grid emission externalities by $2200 per BEV-year with V2G.
Biography:
Parth Vaishnav is an Assistant Professor of Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan. His research aims to understand how technology can ameliorate the environmental and human health consequences of energy production and use, promoting energy and environmental justice. His work has been published in Nature Energy, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Environmental Science & Technology, and Nature Materials. It has been discussed in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Popular Science. He holds a PhD in Engineering & Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University, and an MPhil in Technology Policy from Cambridge University.
Synopsis:
Written by Duncan Tyree,, 3rd Year PhD Student in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Energy consumption in the United States can be generally broken down into four sectors, which are transportation, industrial, residential, and commercial. In order to avoid the worst consequences of climate change, it is crucial to decarbonize as much of the energy grid as possible. However, some sectors are harder to decarbonize due to their dynamic nature. The seminar, titled “Exploiting intersectoral synergies for decarbonization,” was presented on September 11th, 2025 by Professor Parth Vaishnav, Assistant Professor of Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan. In the talk, Professor Vaishnav discussed three of his recent studies which aim to address the decarbonization of the residential sector using controlled electric vehicle (EV) charging and by considering how human comfort impacts energy management strategies.
In the first part of the talk, Professor Vaishnav explained the results of a recent study he published comparing the impact of different levels of home electrification and different EV charging methods, including controlled, uncontrolled, vehicle to grid (V2G), and vehicle to house (V2H), on lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The key results show that a V2Harchitecture can reduce lifecycle GHG emissions by the equivalent of 38 tons of CO2, and could result in cost savings of $3,800 to the consumer. The study also found that in 69% of US counties (covering 62% of US residents), V2H would reduce GHG emissions compared to having no EVs.
The second part of the talk discussed how EVs can be used to reduce grid emissions through a vehicle to grid (V2G) charging architecture. One key problem facing the renewable energy sector is profitability. There is a limit on the amount of renewables that can be installed before the upfront cost of installation outweighs the lifetime revenues generated by the installation. The key results of this part of the talk showed that a V2G charging configuration could lead to a significant increase of this limit compared to an uncontrolled EV charging scenario, allowing a larger percentage of the energy grid to be decarbonized.
At the end of the talk, Professor Vaishnav addressed how human comfort plays a key role in energy management strategies by presenting the results of another recent study he conducted. One way to reduce GHG emissions in the residential sector is to introduce an energy management strategy aimed at minimizing a home’s energy use. These could include solutions like raising the price of energy or adjusting the setpoints on a home’s thermostat. The main takeaway from this part of the talk was that Americans value comfort at more than 3x the energy cost. The implications of this result are that raising energy prices and adjusting thermostat setpoints are both ineffective strategies. Additionally, there is some weak evidence that lower-income people live in less efficient homes, which increases the cost of comfort compared to higher-income households. Therefore, it is crucial to consider this disparity when implementing an energy management strategy.
Looking back on this seminar, I found Professor Vaishnav’s intersectoral approach to decarbonization to be particularly important. This talk reminded me how technological advancements often have unforeseen benefits to society. In this case, EV technology has been developed to reduce transportation emissions, but Professor Vaishnav showed that the same technology can also be used to reduce emissions in the residential sector. After attending this seminar, it became clear to me that an interdisciplinary and intersectoral perspective is becoming increasingly important for meeting the world’s energy needs in a sustainable way. The future of sustainable energy relies on interdisciplinary thinking, and I am excited to see how this approach will impact both my own research and the energy industry as a whole.