Linking Energy System Models: Exploring analyses, methodologies, and theoretical dilemmas

Energy system models (ESMs) can serve as valuable tools for representing the energy system and gain insight about the energy transition. In recent years, the analyses conducted with such tools have grown in scope and complexity, leading to more integration of tools across a range of modelling paradigms and disciplines. In this context, this thesis explores the emerging practice of model coupling with ESMs (i.e., linking ESMs together with other tools), discussing its implications from a theoretical, methodological, and analytical perspective. On a theoretical level, aligning domains and models is found to be beneficial to get a broad range of answers from different perspectives, yet – given the context of climate change – this must be managed with urgency by applying purpose-driven model coupling configurations. From a methodological and analytical perspective, the studies presented in this thesis show that extra modeling effort and complexity compound with the increased resolution provided by model coupling. Nonetheless, these applied studies show that model coupling can provide complementary perspectives on the transition of a national energy system, taking Chile as a case.