Peter Heller is an S.M. candidate in the Technology and Policy Program at MIT. His research is focused on ensuring a financially sustainable, just, and inclusive energy transition. He is particularly interested in regulation of the electricity sector and innovative policies to protect low-income families during the renewable transition. He is also an associate at the Colorado Energy and Water Institute, where he coordinates Western states’ efforts in creating a wholesale electricity market. Prior to MIT, Peter worked as Colorado State Senator Chris Hansen’s policy director, focused on energy and environmental legislation. Peter holds a B.S. in environmental engineering and a minor in engineering management from the University of Colorado Boulder.
Peter’s current project with Christopher Knittel, Tim Schittekatte, and Carlos Battle is centered on addressing energy poverty. The project uses quantitative machine learning methods to map where concentrations of energy poverty exists across the United States. This estimation of geographic areas with high concentrations of energy poverty is then compared to the distribution of federal resources for energy assistance. Additionally, this project includes a comparison of the US. and EU policy approaches to addressing energy poverty to produce a comprehensive list of best practices.