Financial Modelling for Energy Transitions (MINFin, FinTrack and FinCoRE)
Across the world, governments are planning the shift to clean, reliable, and affordable energy systems. Yet many face a shared and critical challenge: how to finance the transition at the scale and pace required.
To address this gap, Climate Compatible Growth is launching a new specialist track at the Energy Modelling Platform – Global 2026 (EMP-G): Financial Modelling for Energy Transitions. This practical course is designed to equip decision-makers with the tools needed to assess investment requirements, financing constraints, and the affordability of national energy transition pathways.
This track offers a hands-on introduction to financial modelling approaches that complement energy system models, enabling participants to assess investment needs, financing costs, revenue sufficiency, and the fiscal implications of energy transition pathways.
It is grounded in best practices in transition finance analysis and uses transparent, open-source tools to support strategic financial planning and informed decision-making.
What Models Will Participants Learn?
Participants will be introduced to three complementary open-source tools developed under the CCG programme:
- MINFin – a financial feasibility and affordability model linking transition pathways to investment needs, financing costs, and fiscal implications, supporting analysis at both the sector level and the preliminary project level.
- FinTrack – a tool for identifying and tracking available climate and development finance sources, including their accessibility, concessionality, and typical financing terms.
- FinCoRE – a tool for estimating and comparing technology- and country-specific costs of capital, helping inform project viability and investment planning.
Together, these tools enable participants to assess financing gaps, compare financing structures, and explore policy-relevant scenarios using transparent, reproducible modelling approaches.
What Will the Models Teach You?
The course equips participants to understand and answer some of the most pressing financial questions facing governments as they pursue energy transitions, including:
- How much will the energy transition cost, and when will those costs arise?
- What financing terms are countries likely to face, and how will these shape affordability?
- How do financing conditions affect affordability at the sector level and feasibility at the project level for specific technologies?
- Where do the largest financing risks and constraints emerge, and how can they be mitigated?
- Are available sources of concessional climate finance being fully utilised?
- What combination of financial instruments and policy reforms can help close the investment gap?
Participants will be introduced to core concepts in climate and energy finance, including the cost of capital, the structure and access criteria of international climate finance, and methods for identifying and quantifying financing gaps. The course also explores how policy, market, and institutional conditions influence the affordability and bankability of national energy transition plans.
In addition, participants will gain hands-on experience with the underlying model structures, data requirements, and practical application of the tools, including scenario-based analysis to support real-world policy questions. Throughout, the course emphasises open data, transparency, and reproducibility, enabling participants to apply these approaches in their own national contexts.
Who is the Course for?
This course is targeted at policymakers, energy planners, analysts, and academic practitioners involved in the financing and implementation of energy transitions, including energy experts working on finance and finance experts working on energy.
It is designed to be accessible to non-specialists. No prior experience in financial modelling is required, though familiarity with energy or policy concepts will be helpful.
What are the prerequisites?
To be eligible for this track, applicants must complete two preparatory Open University courses and attach certificates as part of their EMP-G application:
When and Where is EMP-G 2026?
The Energy Modelling Platform – Global 2026 (EMP-G) will take place at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP) in Trieste, Italy. The programme is structured in two parts:
- Online training (6–10 July 2026) Participants receive tool-specific instruction and build on skills acquired through the Open University courses.
- In-person programme (13–24 July 2026) Participants apply their new skills to country-specific case studies with hands-on support from expert trainers.
Apply Now
Registration to EMP-G is free of charge, but competition is high and spaces are limited. A limited number of grants are available to support attendance, with priority given to participants from developing countries.
This track offers a unique opportunity to receive specialist training, engage with an international community of practice, and build practical financial modelling skills to support the implementation of national energy transition strategies. APPLY HERE