Christopher Knittel is the Associate Dean for Climate and Sustainability and the George P. Shultz Professor of Applied Economics at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is one of the United States’ leading scholars in energy and environmental economics, with a particular focus on the design of electricity markets, carbon pricing, and the integration of new technologies such as virtual power plants into energy systems.

Professor Knittel’s research explores how industrial organization and applied econometrics can inform the transition to cleaner energy systems. His work has been widely published in top academic journals and has provided critical insights for policymakers, regulators, and energy companies on improving market efficiency, scaling renewable energy, and designing effective climate policies.

In addition to his academic appointments, he is a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, where he contributes to the Productivity, Industrial Organization, and Energy and Environmental Economics programs. His expertise bridges rigorous economic analysis with real-world applications in power markets and climate policy.