A Technology Collaboration Programme of the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Global Community. ETSAP brings together a worldwide network of experts and policymakers committed to advancing transparent and sophisticated modelling approaches for designing robust pathways toward a secure, affordable, and sustainable energy future.
Open-Source Modelling. ETSAP develops and promotes the open-source TIMES framework to analyse technologies, assess policy choices, and explore long-term energy pathways across diverse contexts.
Capacity Building Excellence. Through collaborative research and an active programme of trainings and workshops, ETSAP builds modelling capacity and equips practitioners to support evidence-based decision-making worldwide.
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News
- The first basic trainings for 2026 are now open for registration. Explore the schedule and secure your spot here.
The TIMES model
TIMES is the world’s leading open-source framework for energy system optimisation.
Developed and refined by the global ETSAP community over several decades, it provides a rigorous foundation for assessing alternative technology options, defining optimal pathways, and supporting policy planning under evolving market conditions and uncertainties.
Built on a technology-rich structure, TIMES captures detailed engineering and economic informationacross the entire energy system. It is well suited to analyse technology innovation and market deployment across a wide range of scenarios.
Its comprehensive documentation and transparent methodology make it accessible, traceable, and widely trusted worldwide to support informed decision-making.
Getting startedTraining, Workshops & Webinars
ETSAP offers a rich programme of trainings, workshops, and webinars designed to help users build and deepen their expertise with the TIMES modelling framework. Whether you are new to modelling or looking to advance your skills, these activities provide practical guidance, peer learning, and direct access to global TIMES experts.
- Structured trainings at basic, intermediate, and advanced levels introduce participants to the modelling workflow and provide hands-on experience with TIMES.
- Held twice a year, regular workshops bring together practitioners from around the world to exchange insights, present ongoing work, and discuss methodological developments.
- Additionnal webinars are offered to explore specific topics, showcase new features, or share community developments.
Policy-shaping case studies
ETSAP’s energy system modelling framework is widely applied by governments, research institutions, and international organisations to support real-world policy planning and strategic decision-making. Built on the transparent and comprehensive TIMES methodology, these analyses deliver consistent, credible results that help decision-makers evaluate technology pathways and policy options with confidence.
Adaptable across all geographic scales — from global analyses to national strategies and city-level planning — TIMES-based studies provide a coherent view of how energy systems evolve under different assumptions, constraints, and policy designs.
Each case study demonstrates how high-quality results have informed concrete policy choices, supporting decisions that balance energy security, economic performance, affordability, and climate objectives.
ExploreResearch Projects
ETSAP supports research and development projects that strengthen and extend the TIMES methodology and its software ecosystem (tools). These initiatives enhance modelling efficiency, improve usability, and broaden the framework’s capabilities.
The ETSAP tools give the methodology a unique edge: they make it possible to manage large volumes of data, document assumptions in fine detail, and process results quickly across many scenarios. Advanced visualisation features also help communicate results clearly, even to non-technical audiences.
By advancing both the methodology and its tools, ETSAP ensures that TIMES remains adaptable, robust, and responsive to the evolving needs of the global energy-modelling community.
Learn moreModelling ressources
ETSAP provides a comprehensive set of resources that support the rigorous and efficient development of TIMES-based models —reducing the need to start from scratch—, showcase how they inform real-world decisions globally, and inspire new applications for both modellers and decision-makers.
AccessAbout
The Energy Technology Systems Analysis Programme (ETSAP) is one of the longest-running Technology Collaboration Programme (TCP) of the International Energy Agency (IEA). Since 1976, it has supported transparent and sophisticated modelling approaches for integrated energy system analysis.
ETSAP is guided by its Executive Committee, which meets twice a year to coordinate the research agenda, oversee the work programme, and share knowledge on model developments and applications. A broad global community repartee in multiple countries contributes to joint research and provides analytical support to their local stakeholders through the use of ETSAP models.
ETSAP provides a unique platform for collective innovation and knowledge exchange.
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