Who Gets to Model the Future? The Openmod Workshop 2025 and the Case for Inclusive Energy Modelling

Exclusion is not just a problem for underfunded researchers. Even well-funded or governmental institutions operate within the same non-transparent structures, gatekeeping data or ignoring open science principles and reinforcing the same systemic blind spots. The result is models that claim to be universal yet fail to capture the complexity of real-world energy systems. These barriers are not inevitable. A growing movement is challenging the status quo, pushing for a system where access to knowledge is not a privilege but a principle.

Openmod 2025: Putting Inclusivity to Work

This is the landscape the 13th openmod workshop in 2025 set out to change, not through abstract debates on inclusivity, but by practising it. Over two days in Stockholm (25–26 March), sixty energy modellers from around the world, working in academia, industry and government came together to move beyond discussion, planning concrete steps to make energy models and data more open, accessible, and useful. At least half of the participants had never joined an openmod workshop before, so it was a great opportunity to share the vision and mission of the openmod initiative: to promote open energy modelling across the world.

The setting of openmod 2025 was fitting: KTH’s Energy Systems Division, where open science is not a slogan but the default setting. Hosting the workshop was not just about showing up; it was a live demonstration of how energy modelling should work: open, accessible, and collaborative. It was also a timely reminder of the value of open tools and academic freedom, shared standards and methods that make systems science not only more robust but more useful beyond the walls of academia.

Openmod 2025 was never just about writing better code. More than a technical deep dive, the workshop brought together researchers from across disciplines, recognising that the energy transition demands more than just mathematical precision. From Bolivia to the Democratic Republic of Congo, from Denmark to Vietnam, it gathered a rare global mix—one that laid bare the urgent realities of energy system transformation: deep inequalities in access, fragmented and unreliable data, and the political power struggles that shape energy planning. In a space where decisions are shaped by who is in the room, this kind of diversity is not incidental. It’s fundamental.

That diversity did not just shape the discussions; it set the agenda. Who gets to build models shapes who trusts them? Conversations spanned metadata annotation for better collaboration, the social impact dimensions of energy modelling, and how to break down the barriers that keep knowledge locked in individual institutions. But those discussions were not just theoretical. They translated into new partnerships, renewed collaborations, and a growing push for systemic change in how modelling is done, not just in well-funded institutions but across the entire energy research ecosystem.

From Debate to Practice: What Openmod 2025 Delivered

Openmod did not just discuss open science—it put it to work. Over two days, modellers tested solutions for more accessible collaboration, from building trust in data-sharing to confronting the reality of modelling in resource-limited settings. And, yes, there was some impromptu Python troubleshooting along the way.

What did that look like in practice? Here’s where the conversations went.

Challenging Assumptions and Building Trust

Transparency in energy modelling sounds like an unqualified good. Until it is not. The question of how much openness is too much sparked one of Openmod 2025’s liveliest debates during a breakout session led by Hauke Henke and Julius Meier from the Danish Energy Agency. Government partners want robust models, but data transparency can be politically fraught.

"We see the same challenge everywhere—governments want the benefits of robust modelling, but data transparency is often politically sensitive," said Pacifique Matabishi from the Université Catholique de Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, neatly summing up the catch-22 at the heart of public sector engagement in modelling. The dilemma? Keep things open and risk losing collaboration. Keep things closed and lose accountability.

The workshop focused on practical skills often picked up “on the job” rather than through formal training. Here, participants explored hands-on tutorials designed to build useful competencies and deepen understanding.

Lukas Trippe from TU Berlin ran an interactive session on how to write, test, document, lint, format, build, deploy, publish and maintain software.

Steffan Stroemer gave an introduction to Benders decomposition, an approach which allows one large complicated model to be divided up into two or more smaller models which are easier to solve. This allows either much larger models to be constructed or to integrate uncertainty into the optimisation problem.

Energy Modelling in Diverse Realities: When Data is a Luxury

The realities of energy modelling vary starkly. Some researchers fine-tune high-performance computing, while others battle power cuts, unreliable internet, and fragmented datasets. Running a model, for many, is less about computation and more about constant negotiation with real-world constraints than it is about computation.

Everywhere, access to reliable data remains a structural fault in energy modelling. In Europe, much open data exist but some are still locked behind paywalls. In North Macedonia, they are incomplete. In conflict zones, they simply do not exist. Even where data is available, institutional barriers and proprietary restrictions obstruct collaboration. And without stable electricity, advanced modelling is reduced to expensive guesswork. One session revealed the extent of these knowledge gaps; another exposed the fragility of the systems meant to support them. The conclusion was unavoidable: without access, accuracy is compromised.

But the problem runs deeper than data gaps. "Energy modelling in fragile regions isn't just about missing data—it's about missing voices," said Pacifique Matabishi from the Université Catholique de Bukavu in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His point underscores a wider issue: models built in isolation risk reinforcing the very inequalities they aim to solve.

Beyond Open Data: Who Gets to Use the Models?

The most pressing question of the workshop was not about data; it was about power.

Emir Fejzic, PhD candidate at KTH’s Division of Energy Systems, said that “in areas where neighbouring governments don’t trust each other, the real issue isn’t about improving how data is accessed or downloaded. Instead, it’s about convincing those who hold the data to share it in the first place; which is tough, especially when the data could be used to model the region, and different governments might interpret the results in conflicting ways”.

One thing was clear for many: inclusivity in modelling is not just about open data—it’s about who gets to participate in the knowledge ecosystem and use it.

"This is exactly what we're tackling in our RE-INTEGRATE project: building AU-EU collaboration that’s more than just knowledge transfer, but genuine mutual learning,” said Dr Francesco Gardumi, Senior Researcher at KTH’s Division of Energy Systems. "Because producing research and running capacity-development programmes is not enough. What really matters is making sure knowledge and learning flow both ways."

The Philosophy Behind Energy Modelling

Models claim objectivity; the reality is messier. Every assumption, every dataset, every methodological choice embeds a bias.

"We like to think models give us objective answers, but every assumption we make—every dataset we choose—carries its own bias," said Franziska Bock, PhD Candidate from The Delft University of Technology.

That idea carried through Openmod 2025, not just in formal sessions but in the corridor debates and the dinner conversations when participants grappled with the idea that energy modelling is not just about data and algorithms but about the people, perspectives, and values embedded in them.

Openmod: a Model for Collaboration

Most academic conferences follow a script—sessions set in stone, polite nodding, and networking confined to coffee queues. Openmod 2025, thankfully, had other ideas. Instead of plodding through a rigid schedule, the agenda unfolded in real time, dictated by what people actually wanted to talk about. Lightning talks delivered quick, incisive insights, breakout groups tackled everything from data gaps to governance, and conversations ran not on a clock but on momentum.

The poster stands, usually a quiet outpost of academic events, became a spot of animated debate and unexpected collaborations. Some joked they could’ve spent an extra day there, just chasing ideas from one conversation to the next.

"Openmod 2025 wasn’t your typical academic plod, it ran on momentum and curiosity," said Maryna Henrysson, Assistant professor at KTH’s Division of Energy Systems. "PhD candidates in a mid-dissertation mid-modelling identity crisis, MSc students jumping in at the deep end, and KTH grads knee-deep in real-world energy work: everyone had something to say. But beyond the technical wrangling, this was about more than better tools. It was about who gets a voice, whose knowledge actually counts, and who gets a say in shaping the energy futures we’re all meant to be planning for."

That openness to all career stages was not just symbolic. Early-career researchers were not just in the room—they were shaping the conversation.

"Presenting my thesis at Openmod 2025 was an incredible experience," said Giang Ngoc Huong Vu, MSc student at KTH. "Discussions on open-source tools and data availability were inspiring, and I learned a lot about communicating modelling results to policymakers while keeping transparency”.

What is Next?

With every new participant and annual event, Openmod grows not only in size but also in resolve. The community becomes more agile, more diverse, and more impatient with the status quo. The movement for open, inclusive energy modelling is no longer a fringe ambition—it’s a growing imperative. Real change will not come from better tools alone but from reimagining the systems that decide who gets to use them and why. The challenge is vast. But so, increasingly, is the community ready to meet it.

"It has been a great event with a lot of enthusiasm and inspiration. Together as a community, we can collaborate on data, models and methods to overcome shared challenges in energy. I look forward to continuing to work with you in the run-up to the next openmod workshop." said Will Usher in his closing remarks. And, of course, huge credit to the entire Division team—hours of effort to make chaos look effortless!

You read it right before: Openmod is not just about better code; it’s about better connections! To stay engaged with the Openmod community, explore the details of the event and insights from the lighting talks and presentations. and learn about future events, visit the openmod website and join the ongoing discussions at https://forum.openmod.org/

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Text: Maryna Henrysson Photos: Emir Fejzic