Stephen Comello

Stephen Comello is a Research Associate at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and is a Research Fellow at the Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance at Stanford University. Dr. Comello studies the cost-competitiveness of low carbon electricity technologies. With an understanding of technology, innovation and economics, he models the effects of policy mechanisms on green energy deployment. Further, Dr. Comello develops a suite of tools to measure and assess the effects of financing mechanisms on the levelized cost of electricity. Finally, given his background in life cycle analysis, decision theory and environmental engineering, his research provides recommendations to policymakers and firm owners alike how to capture value while moving toward a low-carbon economy.

His research projects in industrial ecology, energy economics and energy policy have spanned both analytical models and field studies. One of his current research thrusts proposes a set of policies and cost efficient incentives to jumpstart at-scale adoption of carbon capture technology in the US electricity industry. Another research thrust analyzes the upstream and downstream economic effects on the U.S. solar industry, given projected decreases in federal incentives such as the investment tax credit (ITC).

Dr. Comello recently completed his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering (with a PhD Minor in Management Science and Engineering) at Stanford University. His research developed a framework for evaluating firm-owned ecosystem services so that they may be represented within corporate financial statements. Given the interdisciplinarity of his work, his dissertation connected a number of domains, including: lifecycle assessment, biogeochemical and energy modeling, economics, financial accounting and decision analysis. Prior to his PhD work, Dr. Comello held positions in project management and infrastructure project development in Canada.

Stephen is an avid runner and amateur cook. He lives in San Francisco with his wife (fellow rational optimist and adventurer) Dr. Megan Palmer.