Department of Energy Announces $7.7 Million for Earth & Environmental Systems Modeling

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $7.7 million in funding for 11 studies to improve understanding of Earth system predictability and DOE’s Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM), a state-of-the-science climate model.

The E3SM is the first comprehensive model of the Earth system to take full advantage of the world-leading supercomputing capabilities at DOE’s national laboratories. The goal of DOE’s model development and analysis efforts within Earth and Environmental Systems Modeling program is to assert and maintain an international scientific leadership position in the development of Earth system models and providing transformative insights on Earth systems, at time scales ranging from sub-seasonal to centennial, delivering knowledge foundations and science-based tools for the Nation’s planning of next-generation, resilient energy, environmental, and economic systems and infrastructures.

“By improving key elements of our Earth system model in climate-sensitive regions, we have an opportunity to model environmental systems with greater precision and predictive power than ever before by using DOE’s world-class supercomputers,” said Sharlene Weatherwax, DOE Associate Director of Biological and Environmental Research. “These studies will help provide DOE and the nation with more accurate predictions of climate change and its impacts to our infrastructures, economies, and our most vulnerable population groups.”

Studies are intended to benefit the public through increased understanding and modeling of the Earth system and climate change and will focus on a range of different topics, from improved representation of ecological systems and cloud-aerosol interactions, to quantifying uncertainties across a range of processes, scales, time horizons, and regional impacts.

Projects were selected for award in FY 2021 by competitive peer review through a DOE Funding Opportunity Announcement that was issued in FY 2020 under the Earth and Environmental Systems Modeling Program, sponsored by the Office of Biological and Environmental Research (BER), within the Department’s Office of Science.

Funding totals $7.7 million in Fiscal Year 2021 dollars for 11 projects lasting three years in duration. A list of projects can be found at the BER website under “What’s New.”