Energy Supply and Demand

Relations with other IMAGE models 

The main input consists of regional population and economic scenarios. These scenarios may come from models associated with IMAGE such as the PHOENIX and WorldScan model.

In most calculations, the TIMER model is strongly coupled to IMAGE and FAIR. The links between these models are indicated in Figure 1. In the combination of the three models, FAIR not only adds information on climate policy but also a relatively simple framework that allows for cost optimisation of reducing energy-related greenhouse gas emissions (as described in TIMER) against other forms of emissions. IMAGE provides information for TIMER on the potential of bio-energy use, adds the ability to evaluate environmental and land-use impacts of different energy scenarios and, finally, describes other sectors relevant for climate change.

Figure 1: Linkage and information flows of the applied modelling framework integrating TIMER, IMAGE and FAIR (CP = carbon plantations; MAC = Marginal Abatement Curve).

The scheme in which TIMER, and the rest of IMAGE and FAIR are often applied, consists of three steps (Figure 1). 

1. A baseline emission scenario is constructed using the full IMAGE model, including TIMER. The terrestrial submodels of IMAGE and TIMER are also used to provide information on abatement through carbon plantation and measures in the energy system, respectively. 
2. Global emission pathways are developed using the FAIR model ; this leads to a stabilization of the atmospheric GHG concentration. The FAIR model distributes the global emission reduction across the different regions, gases and sources in a cost-optimal way, using the information on marginal abatement costs derived in step 1.
3. Finally, the emission reductions and permit price determined in the previous step are implemented in the IMAGE/TIMER model to develop the final mitigation scenario (emissions, land-use and energy system). 

• to  Model input and output
• to  external references
• to  MNP references