Chi Gao supports RAP’s research and outreach in China, especially on topics such as electricity market design, resource adequacy and renewable energy integration. He works with partner organizations and scholars to advance RAP’s mission.
Gao joined RAP in 2022 after graduating from his master’s program, where he worked with Dr. Michael Davidson and scholars at Tsinghua University on modeling China’s renewable energy pathway for a successful transition toward its 2060 carbon neutrality goal. During his study, Gao also interned with the Southeast Asia program at the Stimson Center, where he worked on issues related to the energy, water and food nexus in the Greater Mekong Subregion using geospatial methods.
Chi Gao earned a master’s degree in Chinese economic and political affairs with a Chinese environment concentration from the School of Global Policy and Strategy at the University of California, San Diego. He received groundwork training in the politics of energy systems and a suite of quantitative methods that support energy systems analysis: econometrics, optimization methods for power system planning, and geospatial analysis. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science from UC San Diego.
How Chi Gao is Energizing Change
How to unlock benefits from smart EV charging: Key lessons from a global study
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Smoothing the way: Coaxing more flexible charging from China’s mammoth EV fleet
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What are you working on that is most crucial to RAP’s mission and why is it crucial?
RAP aims to offer insightful guidance on energy-related matters. A significant portion of my endeavors is dedicated to China's power sector reform. Numerous international best practices remain concealed from audiences within China. The pivotal task, however, lies in articulating these experiences within the framework of Chinese institutions, making them both pertinent and accessible. This approach imparts valuable lessons capable of shedding light on the formidable challenges confronting China's power sector reformers.
What’s your passion outside of RAP/clean energy?
In my most recent personal endeavor, I've embarked on a journey to become a naturalist. The breathtaking natural beauty of Southern California, with its magnificent mountains, has become my hideaway. I'm engaged in an exploration of plants, birds, and geology, immersing myself in the process of learning, sketching, observing a world that brings me solace and joy.
If I were a superhero, my superpower would be transforming myself into a shorebird.