EQUALS is a research project funded by the French National Research Agency (ANR) as part of the 2025 Generic Call for Proposals.
The project will begin in early 2026 and will run for four years.
Two internships, one PhD position, and one postdoctoral position will soon be available. Join the team!
The project acronym EQUALS stands for “EQUItable Allocation of Low-carbon Electricity Sources in a Changing and Resource-limited World.” Another possible name could have been “Optimal Allocation of Low-carbon Electricity Sources […]”, reflecting the project’s dual ambition:
- To optimize the global allocation of low-carbon electricity sources in a resource-constrained world.
- To investigate how universal access to low-carbon electricity can be achieved in an equitable way—ensuring a decent standard of living while staying within planetary boundaries.
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Project Summary
EQUALS addresses a critical challenge in the global energy transition: how can we deploy low-carbon electricity systems that are technically feasible, environmentally sustainable, and socially fair—across regions with very different climates, needs, and resources?
Funded by the ANR JCJC programme and coordinated by Arthur Clerjon, the project explores how solar, wind, nuclear, and hydropower can be most effectively distributed worldwide. The goal is to reduce reliance on fossil fuels while respecting planetary boundaries and resource limitations.
A central concept in EQUALS is that of energy service—the ability of an energy source to meet demand when and where it arises. For instance, solar power works particularly well in California, where demand peaks in summer due to air conditioning—exactly when solar production is high. In contrast, France experiences peak electricity needs in winter, when solar output is minimal. The same solar panel delivers very different service in each context.
To analyze such differences, EQUALS will develop a global energy model that assesses how well low-carbon electricity sources match regional energy demand. It will also account for environmental constraints, material needs, and the physical space required for infrastructure.
By openly sharing its methods and results, EQUALS aims to support more informed, inclusive, and sustainable energy decisions.
Overall, EQUALS seeks to:
- Identify where and how low-carbon electricity can meet local demand;
- Integrate constraints from planetary boundaries, material availability, and environmental compatibility;
- Design deployment strategies that respect both regional equity and global sustainability.
An Interdisciplinary Team
The EQUALS project builds on research by Arthur Clerjon during his PhD thesis. His work continues globally through the PhD research of Justine Duval, who is developing the project’s first proof of concept.
To explore the connection between energy and resources, the project collaborates with the ISTerre group led by Olivier Vidal, with support from Hugo Le Boulzec.
To bridge energy modeling with spatial and regulatory constraints, Emmanuelle Santoire (LATTS, CNRS) will lead efforts in geography and territorial planning. She will be joined by a master’s intern (position open).
To integrate a climate perspective, François-Marie Bréon (CEA-LSCE) will bring expertise in climate science in order to assess and quantify influence of future climates on long-term energy demand and intermittent supply.
Finally, Fabien Perdu and Pimprenelle Parmentier (CEA), co-supervisors of Justine Duval’s PhD, will support the methodological and technical development of the global energy model.
Preliminary Results
EQUALS builds on previous research and incorporates the ongoing PhD work of Justine Duval. Below is an illustration of the project’s approach, from the 2025 ECOS International Conference:
👉 Duval et al. (2025) – ECOS Conference Paper
Figure: Optimal mix of PV and wind by region (a), and by latitude (b), minimizing the need for dispatchable power. Source: ECOS 2025.
Overall, this figure shows an optimal mixes of PV and wind that would minimize dispatchable power sources. To go further, here a some of the following steps:
- Increasing model complexity: to include interconnections, existing low-carbon dispatchable sources (hydro and nuclear)
- Adding regional and fglobal environmental constraints, such as greenhouse gas budgets, land availability, etc. to assess how these constraints impact balances between power sources in each region.
- Building prospective energy demand and supply time-series, accounting for future climates and energy demand patterns.
- etc.
Related Page and References
For more on the scientific foundation and background behind this work, see the Power System Flexibility → page.
These earlier studies form the conceptual and methodological basis of the EQUALS project.
Downloads
📄 Full Proposal (PDF)
📃 Pre-Proposal 📝 Project Summary
Coming Soon
- 🧑🔬 Join the team! Internship, PhD, and postdoc openings—descriptions available soon. Contact arthur.clerjon (at) cea.fr!
- 📊 Interactive platform for exploring deployment scenarios
- 📁 Access to datasets and source code
- 📚 New publications and methodological notes
Last updated: July 9, 2025