Center on Global Energy Policy

What Center on Global Energy Policy does

The Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) is a private, nonpartisan academic research center housed at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), founded in April 2013 by Jason Bordoff. It produces independent policy analysis at the intersection of climate, economics, and national security, primarily serving policymakers, government officials, business and industry leaders, energy journalists, and Columbia graduate students.

CGEP operates a platform model rather than a single product. Its core offerings include peer-reviewed research publications (reports, commentaries, op-eds, white papers, task force reports, datasets, fact sheets, and books) organized across 22 topics (including AI, climate, critical minerals, hydrogen, nuclear, and oil) and nine geographic regions. Media products include the Columbia Energy Exchange podcast. The center runs multiple fellowship programs (Distinguished Visiting Fellows, Global Energy Fellows, Women in Energy, Energy Journalism Fellows, Visiting Faculty) and dedicated research initiatives (Resilient Energy Economies, Energy Opportunity Lab, Critical Materials Initiative, Carbon Management Research, Nuclear for Climate Impact, India Program, Trade and the Clean Energy Transition, Electricity Price Research).

The revenue model is donation-based: CGEP charges no fees for its research, events, podcast, or educational content, and is funded across three streams — foundation grants (Rockefeller, Sloan, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Hewlett, Climateworks, Children's Investment Fund Foundation, Breakthrough Energy), corporate partnerships organized by tier (Visionary $1M+, Transformative $250K-$999K, Innovator's $100K-$249K) with fossil-fuel majors (ExxonMobil, Shell, BP, Chevron, Occidental, Aramco, Coterra) and tech/finance firms (Google, Lazard, Sempra), and individual donors. Distribution is global and event-driven: high-profile convenings at the Columbia Global Energy Summit, Aspen-Columbia Global Energy Forum, World Economic Forum, UN climate conferences, and Climate Week NYC, combined with regular expert broadcast appearances on PBS, BBC, NPR, CNN, and CNBC.

Name

Center on Global Energy Policy

Legal name

Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University

Website

https://energypolicy.columbia.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center on Global Energy Policy is a Columbia University SIPA research center that produces independent, nonpartisan analysis on global energy, climate, and geopolitics for policymakers, business leaders, journalists, and graduate students. It operates entirely on donations from foundations, corporates, and individuals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Energy Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (541720)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate & Voluntary Procurement Policy (PPAs, Green Tariffs, 24/7 CFE) (EUAMANAH), Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK)

Keywords

• Energy policy research
• Climate policy analysis
• Geopolitical energy analysis
• Policy fellowship programs
• Energy research publications

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Funding: Major funding from foundations including Rockefeller Foundation, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Children's Investment Fund Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Climateworks Foundation, Breakthrough Energy, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and others. Funding tiers range from Visionary Circle ($1M+) to Leadership Circle ($200K-$999K) to Sustaining Circle ($1K-$199K).
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partnerships from major energy companies and related firms. Visionary Circle ($1M+): Occidental Petroleum, Tellurian. Transformative Circle ($250K-$999K): Aramco Americas, Coterra Energy, ExxonMobil, HIF USA, Google LLC, ONEOK, Venture Global LNG. Innovator's Circle ($100K-$249K): bp, Chevron, Shell, TotalEnergies, GE Vernova, JERA Americas, Lazard, Sempra, and others.
3. Individual Donors: Major individual donors including David Leuschen, Ray Rothrock, Mike and Sofia Segal, Kimberly and Scott Sheffield, Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust, Greg Goff, Daniel Yergin, and others. High-net-worth individuals and industry leaders provide significant support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CGEP is a nonpartisan academic research center at Columbia University SIPA that produces independent research, policy analysis, and convening on global energy, climate change, and geopolitics. Its core deliverables include scholarly publications (reports, commentaries, white papers, datasets, books), the Columbia Energy Exchange podcast, fellowship and visiting scholar programs, research initiatives (e.g., Resilient Energy Economies, Energy Opportunity Lab), and high-profile summits and roundtables aimed at informing policymakers, business leaders, journalists, and students.

Product overview

The Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University SIPA is a research institution providing independent, nonpartisan research and policy analysis on global energy and climate issues. The organization operates as a platform of interconnected programs and initiatives rather than a unified product. Its portfolio includes fellowship programs (Women in Energy Fellowship, Energy Journalism Fellows, Distinguished Visiting Fellows, David Leuschen Global Energy Fellows, Visiting Faculty Program), research initiatives (Resilient Energy Economies, Energy Opportunity Lab, Critical Materials, Carbon Management Research, Nuclear for Climate Impact, India Program, Trade and Clean Energy Transition, Electricity Price Research), media content (Columbia Energy Exchange podcast), and various publication types (reports, commentaries, op-eds, white papers, datasets, books). The institution also partners on various initiatives including carbon credit markets and methane finance working groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Columbia Energy Exchange Podcast A podcast featuring in-depth conversations with top energy and climate leaders from government, business, academia, and civil society, distributed free to global audiences.
• Women in Energy Fellowship A fellowship with the mission to elevate women in the energy sector through educational programming and professional development, addressing barriers to entry and success.
• Energy Journalism Fellows A program providing reporters with education on intersecting disciplines shaping the global energy sector, including finance and markets, climate change, science and technology, policy, and geopolitics.
• Distinguished Visiting Fellows Program A program bringing renowned energy experts and public/private sector veterans into the Columbia University community to contribute to research, publications, and events.
• David Leuschen Global Energy Fellows A year-long program designed to challenge students to think critically about relevant energy-related issues and facilitate engagement between Columbia students and CGEP experts.
• Visiting Faculty Program A program inviting outside faculty to share insights, engage with experts across Columbia University's multidisciplinary networks, and identify opportunities for high-impact energy policy research.
• Resilient Energy Economies Initiative An initiative helping US fossil fuel-dependent communities diversify and strengthen their economies during the energy transition through research grants and analysis.
• Energy Opportunity Lab A lab working with global communities to improve opportunities for sustainable energy inclusion, innovation, and growth while supporting progress toward a just energy transition to low-carbon energy.
• Critical Materials Initiative An initiative addressing the needs, barriers, and opportunities to scaling up investment in and production of critical minerals and battery supply chains.
• Carbon Management Research Initiative An initiative focused on research and analysis related to carbon management technologies and policies.
• Nuclear for Climate Impact Program A program examining the role of nuclear energy in addressing climate change and the energy transition.
• India Program A program focused on energy policy research specific to India and its role in global energy markets.
• Trade and the Clean Energy Transition Initiative An initiative examining trade policy implications of the clean energy transition.
• Electricity Price Research Initiative An initiative analyzing electricity pricing dynamics and their implications for energy policy.
• Women in Energy Initiative An initiative with the mission to elevate women in the energy sector through educational programming and professional development, working with industry to recruit, retain, and promote women into decision-making roles.
• Universal Energy Abundance Panel A high-level panel, created with the Rockefeller Foundation, aimed at addressing global energy challenges and advancing universal energy abundance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 100 scholars and staff serving as trusted advisors to policymakers globally
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Rockefeller FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026Rockefeller Foundation and CGEP created a new high-level panel on universal energy abundance aimed at addressing global energy challenges. This represents a major strategic collaboration on one of the most pressing energy policy issues of our time.
• Resources for the Future (RFF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 March 2026Co-leaders of the Resilient Energy Economies (REE) initiative along with scholars from Columbia University SIPA, University of Notre Dame, and Montana State University. REE provides approximately $450,000 in research grants to support fossil fuel-dependent communities during the energy transition.
• University of Notre DamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leader of the Resilient Energy Economies (REE) initiative alongside Resources for the Future and Montana State University, focused on helping US fossil fuel-dependent communities diversify and strengthen their economies.
• Montana State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leader of the Resilient Energy Economies (REE) initiative alongside Resources for the Future and University of Notre Dame, focused on energy transition research for fossil fuel-dependent communities.
• Aspen InstituteflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGEP co-hosts the annual Aspen-Columbia Global Energy Forum which brings together top industry executives, policymakers, academics, and environmentalists to discuss key issues at the intersection of geopolitics, energy and climate policy, global markets, and business.
• World Economic ForumflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGEP organizes roundtables at the World Economic Forum in Davos, including sessions on 'Redefining Energy Security.' Regular participation and partnership in WEF events positions CGEP at the forefront of global energy policy discussions.
• Obama FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDuring COP26 in 2021, CGEP partnered with the Obama Foundation to host former President Barack Obama for a roundtable with youth activists, Columbia University students, and Obama Foundation Scholars Program alumni to discuss accelerating climate action.
• The LancetminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership on The Lancet Countdown 2020, a collaboration tracking the connections between health and climate change, integrating health considerations into energy and climate policy analysis.
• International Energy Agency (IEA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCGEP engages regularly with IEA leadership including Executive Director Fatih Birol for fireside chats and discussions on global energy sector issues including decarbonization and peak oil demand.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stanford Precourt Institute for Energy: Stanford University's energy research institute spanning technology, policy, and markets with strong industry donor base and student/fellow engagement — a near-direct academic parallel to CGEP housed at a top U.S. research university.
• Resources for the Future (RFF): Independent, nonpartisan research institution focused on energy, environmental, and natural resource economics and policy — and a confirmed co-lead with CGEP on the Resilient Energy Economies initiative. Directly comparable in mission, donor mix, and policy-research output.
• Brookings Institution Energy Security and Climate Initiative: One of the most prominent U.S. policy think tanks with a dedicated energy and climate program publishing research, hosting events, and convening policymakers — directly comparable in scope and audience to CGEP.
• Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs: Harvard-affiliated policy research center covering energy, climate, and international security with senior visiting fellows and policy fellows programs — comparable academic-affiliated think tank with similar convening power and policy-adjacent training programs.
• MIT Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research (CEEPR): MIT-affiliated research center producing energy and environmental economics and policy research with strong academic-industry linkages — similar mission and audience to CGEP, including corporate sponsorship and policy engagement.
• Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability at Duke: Duke University-affiliated policy institute conducting research on energy, climate, and sustainability with strong government engagement — comparable academic-anchored energy and climate policy research model.
• Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Energy Program: D.C.-based bipartisan policy research organization with a dedicated energy and natural resources program covering geopolitics, markets, and the energy transition — overlaps directly with CGEP's mandate and convening audience.
• Atlantic Council Global Energy Center: Policy-focused program at the Atlantic Council analyzing global energy markets, security, and the transition; produces reports, convenings, and media commentary very similar in scope and form to CGEP.

Broad incumbents

• World Resources Institute (WRI): Global research organization working at the intersection of environment and economic development with significant climate and energy portfolio — overlaps CGEP on energy transition analysis and convenings, though broader in environmental scope.
• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Major international affairs think tank with global centers and senior scholar programs covering energy geopolitics among many topics — broader than CGEP but with directly overlapping coverage on energy security, Russia, Middle East, and China.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Center on Global Energy Policy