Genevieve McKeown-Green

I pursue research in energy systems, environmental science and policy, and earth science. Currently, as a third-year Ph.D. student at UC Merced, my research focuses on investigating the intersection of renewable technology adoption, socio- economic behavior, and environmental impacts on two critical fronts: (1) the uptake of zero-emission vehicles, and (2) the reliability of solar energy production under changing wildfire behavior and climate conditions.

California is pursuing high-level adoption of renewable energy and clean mobility technologies. There is large-scale development of solar and battery storage as well as policies like EO N-79-20 which aims for 100% passenger zero-emission vehicles by 2035. As a third-year Ph.D. student at UC Merced, my work investigates the impacts of new technology deployment with a focus on how changing conditions and human actions impact technology adoption and reliability in California. I am researching zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and how to prepare communities for electrification and disinvestment from fossil fuels. ZEVs offer an important opportunity to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, but we need a fuller picture of potential benefits and pitfalls. Along with ZEVs, I am beginning research exploring the interactions between wildfires and solar. This project aims to quantify the impact of wildfire ash on solar productivity. This work addresses a key knowledge gap in the interactions between wildfire and solar technology. Overall, my research is focused on improving understanding of renewable technologies under changing conditions and identifying key pivot points for renewable technology adoption.