Graduate School
Harvard Kennedy School

Undergraduate School
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Mentor
Tom Keane, Rappaport Institute Advisory Board Member

Agency
MA Executive Office of Energy and the Environment

Supervisor
Claire Miziolek, 80×50 Study Manager

Description of Fellowship
Rees Sweeney-Taylor worked at the State’s Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs helping to develop policy recommendations for decarbonizing Massachusetts’ economy by 2050. His primary project was modelling how a price on carbon could help meet this mandate while also distributing revenues equitably. Additionally, he researched the relationship between heating fuels for Massachusetts homes and geographic location and income. This led to the development of a tool that can be used to focus heat pump conversion efforts in neighborhoods with low-income residents and/or high usage of fuel oil. Finally, he worked one day each week for the Department of Public Utilities, writing a report comparing several jurisdictions’ approaches to microgrids and potential next steps for Massachusetts; he presented these findings to the Department Commission.

“[The fellowship] certainly raised my expectations of what is possible in the public sector and exposed me to insightful conversations about the policies and technologies that will drive the energy transition. I saw how inspiring state government can be.” Rees Sweeney-Taylor MPP 2021