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Bjarne Steffen
Asst Professor of Climate Finance and Policy Group at ETH Zürich
Bjarne Steffen is an Assistant Professor at ETH Zürich and the head of the Climate Finance and Policy Group (CFP) at ETH Zürich's Department of Humanities, Social and Political Sciences.13 His research focuses on policies related to the low-carbon transition in the energy and financial sectors, working at the intersection of environmental/energy economics, financial economics, and innovation studies.1
Academic Background and Achievements
Dr. Steffen studied economics at the University of Mannheim and UC Berkeley, and holds a PhD in energy economics from the University of Duisburg-Essen.1 In 2020, he was awarded a prestigious ERC Starting Grant to execute a research agenda on how public policy can facilitate investments in new low-carbon technologies.1
Research and Expertise
His research primarily addresses policies for low-carbon innovation, with a particular interest in:
- The role of financial actors (e.g., investors and banks) in the sustainable energy transition
- The role of the state in the finance and energy sectors
- Drivers for the choice of financing structures in clean energy projects
- Cost of capital dependence on technology maturity and finance industry experience
- Policy instruments like state investment banks and their effectiveness2
Professional Experience
Before his academic career, Dr. Steffen worked as:
- Principal in the Boston Consulting Group's energy and infrastructure practices
- Project manager for the Strategic Infrastructure Initiative at the World Economic Forum1
Affiliations and Collaborations
At ETH Zürich, Dr. Steffen is affiliated with:
- Institute of Science, Technology and Policy
- ETH Energy Science Center
- ETH Center for Sustainable Future Mobility
- ETH Centre for Energy Policy and Economics1
He is also a member of international advisory bodies, including:
- World Economic Forum's Taskforce on Mobilizing Investment for Clean Energy in Emerging Economies
- OECD/UNEP Green Finance Platform's Sustainable Finance Effectiveness Working Group1
Dr. Steffen leads an interdisciplinary team of researchers with backgrounds in economics, business, and engineering.1 His work has been published in high-impact journals, and he has been a visiting scholar at MIT's Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research.23

