Clean Energy Research Group
About the Clean Energy Research Group (CERG)
Meet the team
Andy Hira
Leading CERG, Andy is a political science teacher at SFU. He has over 20 years of experience as a professor and an analyst of economic development issues.
Omri Haven
Working on CERG's Agrivoltaics research, Omri is a researcher and communicator based on unceded Salish territories in Vancouver, Canada. He has worked on frontline food security issues for the past 15 years.
Spring 2026 Monthly Research Talks
All events are hybrid and open to the public. Please contact Andy Hira at ahira@sfu.ca for on-line connection details and copies of papers. CERG events are supported by SFU and the Willow Grove Foundation.
1. January 16, 2026, from 12-1pm over zoom only, Nick Gottlieb, Suzuki Foundation, Running on Fumes: B.C. LNG’s Overhyped Promises, Risky Future and Public Costs
2. Feb. 19, 2026 from 12-1pm over zoom only, Dr. Louise Comeau, Senior Advisor on Climate, Carleton U.’s Centre for Climate Change Communications and Public Engagement, Building a Social Mandate for Climate Action.
3. Mar. 19, 2026, 17:30-19:00: The Demise of the IRA: Lessons for Climate Change Policy, Andy Hira, Jae Mather, and Mitchell Beer.
4. Apr. 9, 2026, 17:00-19:00, Improving Plastic Waste Policy in BC, Andy Hira, Sue Maxwell (Zero Waste BC), Christoph Schultz (Recycling Council of BC) and Misuzu Asari (Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Japan). Sponsored by the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions.
5. May 7, 2026, 17:30-19:00, Hydrogen- Examining the Pros and Cons of its use for Energy Storage in Canada, Anurag Wasnik (Beedie School of Business); Reza Farzam (SFU/UBC Post-doctoral Researcher in Engineering); and Dorsa Kalaki (MA, SFU Sustainable Engineering).
VIEW OUR LATEST CERG PAPER Energy Storage Solutions for the Green Transition: the complementary role of hydrogen and batteries, by Fatemeh (Dorsa) Kalaki, Zahra Khan, Muibat Lasisi, and Yundennamjil (Yuki) Rinchin- Click on title
CERG Hot Papers (click on title)
Lessons from Failure: How the demise of the IRA can inform Green Industrial Policy, CERG WP No. 19
Canadian Scorecard on Fossil Fuels, Hira, Pauer and Nguyen
CERG releases a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of the fossil fuels sector vs. the costs of climate change. We find that, even after accounting for jobs, incomes and public revenues, the fossil fuels sector is a net drain on the economy, and net losses will increase over time. No further public investment in the sector is economically justified, particularly given the predictions of a supply glut in oil and gas markets.