MER. D

One Brattle Square, 356H
Cambridge, MA 02138

michael_davidson@hks.harvard.edu @east_winds mdavidson.org Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ph.D., Engineering Systems, Institute for Data, Systems, and Society

2014-2018

Creating Markets for Wind Electricity in China: Case Studies in Energy Policy and Regulation
Committee: Ignacio Pérez-Arriaga, Valerie J. Karplus, Margaret Pearson

M.S., Technology and Policy

2012-2014

Regulatory and Technical Barriers to Wind Energy Integration in Northeast China

Case Western Reserve University
B.S., Mathematics and Physics, summa cum laude

2008

Auger Processes in Semiconductor Quantum Dots (Dayton C. Miller Prize for Best Thesis in Physics)

B.A., Japanese Studies

2008

The Basis of Japanese Diplomacy: New Perspectives on Constitutional Revision (in Japanese)
RW
E

Belfer Center for Science and International Aﬀairs, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Environment and Natural Resources Program
2018Identifying policy and technology options for decarbonizing China’s coal and electricity sectors
Developing optimization formulations for modeling India’s evolving electricity market
Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Research Assistant, China Energy and Climate Project20122018
Modeled eﬀects of high-penetration renewable energy on power systems operation
Conducted 9 months of ﬁeldwork on electricity market developments in China and India
Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, DC and Beijing
20102012
US-China Climate Policy Coordinator
Developed seed grant proposal for China coal consumption cap project ($15 million raised to date)
Briefed US energy and climate policy-makers on Chinese policy developments
Asia Policy Point, Washington, DC
20102010
Visiting Fellow
Monitored domestic political developments in Japan and China for boutique foreign policy think tank
Fulbright China Program, U.S. State Department
Fellow, Tsinghua-BP Clean Energy Research and Education Centre, Beijing
2008Critical Language Enhancement Award, CET Academic Programs, Harbin
2008Investigated livelihood impacts of renewable energy on Chinese farmers and herders

RJA

2009
2008

Davidson, M. R., Pérez-Arriaga, J. I. Avoiding Pitfalls in China’s Electricity Sector Reforms. Revise andresubmit.
Davidson, M. R., Pérez-Arriaga, J. I. (2018). Modeling Unit Commitment in Political Context: Case ofChina’s Partially Restructured Electricity Sector. IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, 33(5), 48894901. [link]
Davidson, M. R., Zhang, D., Xiong, W., Zhang, X., and Karplus, V. J. (2016). Modelling the potentialfor wind energy integration on China’s coal-heavy electricity grid. Nature Energy, 1, 16086. [link].

RBW
P— —24Davidson, M. R. Technology Integration in China’s Electricity System: Central Targets and Local Challenges. (2019). In T. G. Rawski & L. Brandt (Eds.), Policy, Regulation and Innovation in China’s Electricity and Telecom Industries. Cambridge University Press. [link]
Davidson, M. R., Kahrl, F., and Karplus, V. J. (2017). Towards a political economy framework for windpower: Does China break the mould? In D. Arent, C. Arndt, M. Miller, F. Tarp, & O. Zinaman (Eds.),
The Political Economy of Clean Energy Transitions (pp. 250–270). Oxford University Press. [link]

CI

Davidson, M. R. From Barrier to Bridge: The Role of Coal in China’s Decarbonization. In D. Schragand H. Lee (Eds.), China’s Decarbonization Pathways (title pending).
Davidson, M. R., Pearson, M. Static Electricity: Institutional and Ideational Barriers to China’s MarketReforms.
Davidson, M. R. Wind Curtailment in China: From Causes to Market Solutions.
Davidson, M. R. Electricity Markets in a Carbon-Constrained World: Reforming Scheduling Practices
in China and India.

OPDavidson, M. R., Pérez-Arriaga, J. I. (2017). Modeling Unit Commitment in Political Context: Case of
China’s Partially Restructured Electricity Sector. MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy(CEEPR) Working Paper. [link]
Davidson, M. R., Kahrl, F., and Karplus, V. J. (2016). Towards a Political Economy Framework for Wind
Integration: Does China Break the Mould? (Working Paper No. 32). United Nations University World
Institute for Development Economics Research. [link]
Zhang, D., Davidson, M. R., Gunturu, B., Zhang, X., and Karplus, V. J. (2014). An Integrated Assessment of China’s Wind Energy Potential (Report No. 261). Cambridge, MA: MIT Joint Program on theScience and Policy of Global Change. [link]
Davidson, M. R. (2013). Politics of Power in China: Institutional Bottlenecks to Reducing Wind Curtailment Through Improved Transmission. International Association for Energy Economics Energy
Forum, 4, 40–42. [link]
Davidson, M., Greene, G., and Liu, M. (2013). Untapped Potential: Energy Savings and Climate Beneﬁts from Strengthening Water Use Eﬃciency in China’s Building and Industrial Sectors. China Environment Series 12. Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, DC. [pdf]Enoe, M., He, Y., Pohnan, E., and Davidson, M. (contributing editor). (2012). Lessons Learned: A
Path Toward Responsible Development of China’s Shale Gas Resources. Natural Resources Defense
Council White Paper. [pdf]Davidson, M. (2010). Climate Security in East Asia: New Opportunities for Non-traditional Cooperation. Center for Strategic and International Studies Paciﬁc Forum, 25. [link]TMEKaufman Teaching Certiﬁcate Program
MIT Teaching and Learning Laboratory
Designed syllabi, course assignments, and in-class exercises using latest learning research

2017

Decision Support Models for Low-Carbon Electric Power Systems (ESD.S23)
Teaching Assistant (Part-Time), MIT Institute for Data, Systems, and Society

2016

Turbines to Tariﬀs: Technical and Regulatory Issues for Scaling Up Wind Energy
Lecturer, MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change

2016

Climate Change Policy Seminar
Lecturer, MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change

2013, 2014, 2017

Yale Environmental Protection Clinic
2011-2012
Supervised six graduate students and legal fellows on Rio+20 Earth Summit and China-related research projects

.

L— —34Chinese
Conducted 100+ interviews in Chinese with electricity sector stakeholders
2012-2018
Immersion language training, CET Academic Programs, Harbin
2008
Language book prize for high achievement in Chinese, Case Western Reserve University
2008
Japanese
Completed original research and thesis in Japanese
2008
Language book prize for high achievement in Japanese, Case Western Reserve University
2007
Global Engineering Education Exchange, Tohoku University, Sendai
20052006
1992-1996
Japanese immersion schooling, Yujin Gakuen, Eugene, ORFrench
Vice-President, French Conversation Club, Case Western Reserve University
Completed 7 years of secondary school language training

2006-2008
1996-2003

Highest honors in modern languages and literatures, Case Western Reserve University2008

SP

Davidson, M. R. Renewable Energy Participation in Short- and Long-Run Markets: U.S. Lessons forChina. 3rd China Electricity Market International Summit. Beijing. 2019.
Davidson, M. R. Creating Markets for Wind Electricity in China: An Analysis of Grid and Institutional
Causes of Curtailment. Harvard Kennedy School Energy Policy Seminar. Cambridge, MA. 2018.
[summary] [slides]
Davidson, M. R. Institutions, Conﬂicts, and Political Economy in Renewable Energy Integration: Caseof China, and Thoughts for India. Brookings India. New Delhi. 2017. [video]Davidson, M. R. Markets for Wind Electricity in China: Case Studies in Energy Policy and Regulation.
Duck Family Graduate Workshop in Environmental Politics and Governance. Seattle, WA. 2017.
Davidson, M. R. Hidden Costs of Technology Development by the Plan: Case of China’s Coal Fleet
Upgrading. AAAS Annual Meeting. Boston. 2017. [link] [slides] (Winner, Social Sciences Category,AAAS Student Poster Competition)Davidson, M. R. Pitfalls in China’s Electricity Sector Reforms: International Lessons. Energy Revolution and Green Low-Carbon Development High Level Roundtable. China Energy Research Society.
Beijing. 2016.
Davidson, M. R. Decarbonizing China’s Power Grid. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Washington, DC. 2016. [link]
Davidson, M. R. and Qi, T. Re-Analysis Data for Fine Temporal Resolution Wind Power Estimation:
A Comparison of Boundary Layer Parameterizations. Graduate Climate Conference, Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institution. Woods Hole, MA. 2015. [link] [poster]Davidson, M. R. Robust Unit Commitment from Data-Rich Wind Power Forecast Models. Grid Science Winter Conference, Los Alamos National Laboratory (oﬀsite). Santa Fe, NM. 2015.
Davidson, M. R., Karplus, V. J., and Pérez-Arriaga, J. I. Technical and Institutional Barriers to Increasing Wind Integration in Northeast China. Technology, Management and Policy Graduate Consortium, Instituto Superior Técnico. Lisbon. 2014. (Best Paper, M.S. Level)
Davidson, M. Greening China: Opportunities for International Cooperation and Improved Transparency.
Columbia University. New York. 2011.
Davidson, M. Greening China through Clean Energy and Rule of Law. Tulane Law School Summit on
Environmental Law and Policy. Tulane, LA. 2011.

HA

Initiative for Sustainable Energy Policy Fellow, Johns Hopkins SAIS
Winner, Social Sciences Category, AAAS Student Poster Competition
Martin Family Society Fellow for Sustainability
UNU-WIDER Research Grant
MIT Energy Initiative Energy Fellow

20172017
2015-20162015
2012-2015.

Technology, Management and Policy Graduate Consortium, Best Paper, M.S. Level
1st Place, US Association for Energy Economics Student Case Competition
Phi Beta Kappa, Alpha of Ohio Chapter
Outstanding Senior in Mathematics Case Alumni Award
National Merit Scholar
PDS— —442014
2013
2008
2008
2003-2008

Reviewer for Applied Energy, Economics of Energy & Environmental Policy, Energy Policy, IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy, Joule, Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, Oxford University Press
MIT Electricity Students Research Group
Co-President

2014-2016

Los Alamos National Laboratory
Participant, Grid Science Winter School

2015

American Association for the Advancement of Science
MIT Organizer, Science/Engineering Congressional Visits Day

2013

National Center for Science Education, Washington, DC
High school environmental science project mentor, EnvironMentors

2010-2011

PlaNet Finance (now: Positive Planet), Beijing
Provided interpretation and expert input on microﬁnance biogas project

2009Engineers Without Borders, Case Western Reserve University Chapter
Planned water system project in the Dominican Republic

2006-2007

PA

American Political Science Association
IEEE Power & Energy Society
Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS)
International Association for Energy Economics / US Association for Energy Economics

CPR, python, GAMS, MATLAB, ArcGIS, SQL