AMES: A model for energy, economic and environmental assessment

This paper introduces the Adaptable Macroeconomic Extension for Sustainability analysis (AMES). AMES is a multi-sector, demand-led, structuralist model designed to provide consistent economic drivers to the widely used Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP). The focus is on low-emission development strategies in low- and middle-income countries. Together, LEAP and AMES form a hybrid energy-economy model that combines two approaches: bottom-up energy-systems analysis and top-down macroeconometric assessments. Because of its focus on low- and middle-income countries, AMES can simulate structural change. Moreover, unlike most macroeconomic models used for energy analysis, AMES exhibits hysteresis, in which, for example, an energy investment programme can lead to persistent, positive impacts on GDP and employment. An open-source tool hosted on GitHub, AMES is a flexible model designed to be adapted for specific needs and studies.