About

Sergio Castellanos is an assistant professor in the Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. He leads the RESET (Rapid, Equitable & Sustainable Energy Transitions) Lab, where he analyzes just decarbonization pathways for emerging economies, data-driven sustainable transportation approaches, and equitable local energy transitions. His interdisciplinary projects have been awarded international prizes, won national competitions, and garnered media attention. Castellanos has received recognition from environmental justice organizations for his leadership and transformative work aimed at improving communities in Austin. He holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earned in 2015, along with a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arizona. His research interests include environmental and energy justice, sustainable transportation, renewable energy technology manufacturing and deployment, and energy systems modeling.

Research topics

• Political Science
• Computer Science
• Business
• Social Science
• Computer Security
• Environmental economics
• Sociology
• Economics
• Systems engineering
• Public economics
• Environmental resource management
• Electrical engineering
• Reliability engineering
• Process engineering
• Chemistry
• Physics
• Law
• Pedagogy
• Actuarial science
• Public relations
• Engineering
• Environmental science

Selected publications

• Can green hydrogen support fossil fuel workers? Examining workforce transition pathways in oil and gas communities

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-05-07

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Decarbonizing our energy sector requires a rapid transition away from fossil fuel infrastructure, likely resulting in significant unemployment in regions relying heavily on the fossil fuel industry. While new renewable energy jobs can provide some support, there are significant gaps in their distribution, skill requirement, and potential wages. Other sectors, such as the hydrogen supply chain, may be able to provide additional support, but their workforce development potential is largely unexplored. In this work, we model the Texas Interconnection to quantity the new hydrogen and renewable energy capacity deployed across the state under a set of different policy and demand scenarios. We then assess the direct and indirect workforce impacts of this new capacity using a set of economic input-output models. The results reveal that jobs associated with hydrogen and related renewable energy generation could support up to 36% of current oil and gas workers in the state. However, distributional gaps persist as new hydrogen occupations are concentrated in regions with relatively low oil and gas employment. Additionally, an analysis of occupational data indicates that the skill and knowledge requirements for hydrogen occupations are better aligned with oil and gas occupations compared to renewable energy occupations. Hydrogen jobs, on average, also have lower educational and training requirements, suggesting that there are fewer barriers for workers transitioning into this sector. These findings provide critical insights into the potential role of emerging hydrogen technologies in facilitating a just energy transition and mitigating the impacts of the transition on oil and gas workers.

  PublisherDOI

• Can green hydrogen support fossil fuel workers? Examining workforce transition pathways in oil and gas communities

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-05-07

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Decarbonizing our energy sector requires a rapid transition away from fossil fuel infrastructure, likely resulting in significant unemployment in regions relying heavily on the fossil fuel industry. While new renewable energy jobs can provide some support, there are significant gaps in their distribution, skill requirement, and potential wages. Other sectors, such as the hydrogen supply chain, may be able to provide additional support, but their workforce development potential is largely unexplored. In this work, we model the Texas Interconnection to quantity the new hydrogen and renewable energy capacity deployed across the state under a set of different policy and demand scenarios. We then assess the direct and indirect workforce impacts of this new capacity using a set of economic input-output models. The results reveal that jobs associated with hydrogen and related renewable energy generation could support up to 36% of current oil and gas workers in the state. However, distributional gaps persist as new hydrogen occupations are concentrated in regions with relatively low oil and gas employment. Additionally, an analysis of occupational data indicates that the skill and knowledge requirements for hydrogen occupations are better aligned with oil and gas occupations compared to renewable energy occupations. Hydrogen jobs, on average, also have lower educational and training requirements, suggesting that there are fewer barriers for workers transitioning into this sector. These findings provide critical insights into the potential role of emerging hydrogen technologies in facilitating a just energy transition and mitigating the impacts of the transition on oil and gas workers.

  PublisherDOI

• An Integrated Fuzzy Logic-PSO Framework for Robust Nearshoring Energy Site Selection

  2026-01-01

  book-chapter
  PublisherDOI

• Identifying Conditions for Hydrogen Sector Coupling Amid Policy Shifts and Rising Electricity Demand

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-03-27

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Hydrogen has emerged as an alternative energy carrier used to decarbonize hard-to-electrify sectors and serve as a long-duration energy storage asset for the power sector, however, its deployment depends on technological, policy, and market factors. Using a hydrogen-coupled capacity expansion model, we explore the policy, economic, and demand conditions necessary to support power-to-gas-to-power infrastructure. Our results indicate that, even under optimistic cost and demand scenarios, significant policy support is necessary for hydrogen electrolyzer deployment. Hydrogen fuel cells are only viable under a net-zero constraint, but are limited by the need to meet end-use hydrogen demand, creating competition between hydrogen’s different applications. Additionally, while using fuel cells to provide long-duration energy storage can reduce overall capacity requirements for the power sector, the projected growth of large loads, such as data centers, could completely offset sector coupling benefits. Our results elucidate the conditions necessary for large-scale hydrogen deployment and its potential competitiveness.

  PublisherDOI

• Identifying Conditions for Hydrogen Sector Coupling Amid Policy Shifts and Rising Electricity Demand

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-05-01

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Hydrogen has emerged as an alternative energy carrier used to decarbonize hard-to-electrify sectors and serve as a long-duration energy storage asset for the power sector, however, its deployment depends on technological, policy, and market factors. Using a hydrogen-coupled capacity expansion model, we explore the policy, economic, and demand conditions necessary to support power-to-gas-to-power infrastructure. Our results indicate that, even under optimistic cost and demand scenarios, significant policy support is necessary for hydrogen electrolyzer deployment. Hydrogen fuel cells are only viable under a net-zero constraint, but are limited by the need to meet end-use hydrogen demand, creating competition between hydrogen’s different applications. Additionally, while using fuel cells to provide long-duration energy storage can reduce overall capacity requirements for the power sector, the projected growth of large loads, such as data centers, could completely offset sector coupling benefits. Our results elucidate the conditions necessary for large-scale hydrogen deployment and its potential competitiveness.

  PublisherDOI

• Socio‑Technical Perceptions of Hydrogen in the Energy Transition: Stakeholder Insights on Regional Impacts and Public Acceptance

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-05-07

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Emerging alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, are spurring investments to scale up production and accelerate the transition to clean energy. As industries and governments explore large-scale deployment of hydrogen infrastructure, there is a need to critically examine stakeholder perceptions of the hydrogen supply chain. Additionally, pathways that enable the public to meaningfully engage in decision-making and ensure their opinions and concerns are adequately addressed can form the basis of trusted partnerships. To highlight this opportunity and existing issues, we conduct a qualitative analysis of interviews with 55 stakeholders in Texas, U.S., and assess their perceptions of hydrogen technologies and public engagement strategies. Our findings reveal significant gaps in stakeholders’ understanding of economic and environmental concerns alongside limitations in proposed community education and engagement approaches, particularly among stakeholders in private energy companies. Addressing these knowledge and engagement gaps is critical to facilitating public participation and acceptance of this emerging infrastructure.

  PublisherDOI

• Planning for Large-Load Growth in Texas: Metrics and Methods for Equity-Informed Grid Modeling

  SSRN Electronic Journal · 2026-01-01

  preprintOpen accessSenior author
  PublisherDOI

• Toward an Efficient Natural Gas Infrastructure in Mexico: An Integrated LLM-Based Assessment and Technical-Regulatory Framework for Energy Equity and Security

  2026-01-01

  book-chapter
  PublisherDOI

• Socio‑Technical Perceptions of Hydrogen in the Energy Transition: Stakeholder Insights on Regional Impacts and Public Acceptance

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-05-07

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Emerging alternative fuels, such as hydrogen, are spurring investments to scale up production and accelerate the transition to clean energy. As industries and governments explore large-scale deployment of hydrogen infrastructure, there is a need to critically examine stakeholder perceptions of the hydrogen supply chain. Additionally, pathways that enable the public to meaningfully engage in decision-making and ensure their opinions and concerns are adequately addressed can form the basis of trusted partnerships. To highlight this opportunity and existing issues, we conduct a qualitative analysis of interviews with 55 stakeholders in Texas, U.S., and assess their perceptions of hydrogen technologies and public engagement strategies. Our findings reveal significant gaps in stakeholders’ understanding of economic and environmental concerns alongside limitations in proposed community education and engagement approaches, particularly among stakeholders in private energy companies. Addressing these knowledge and engagement gaps is critical to facilitating public participation and acceptance of this emerging infrastructure.

  PublisherDOI

• Identifying Conditions for Hydrogen Sector Coupling Amid Policy Shifts and Rising Electricity Demand

  Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) · 2026-05-01

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  Hydrogen has emerged as an alternative energy carrier used to decarbonize hard-to-electrify sectors and serve as a long-duration energy storage asset for the power sector, however, its deployment depends on technological, policy, and market factors. Using a hydrogen-coupled capacity expansion model, we explore the policy, economic, and demand conditions necessary to support power-to-gas-to-power infrastructure. Our results indicate that, even under optimistic cost and demand scenarios, significant policy support is necessary for hydrogen electrolyzer deployment. Hydrogen fuel cells are only viable under a net-zero constraint, but are limited by the need to meet end-use hydrogen demand, creating competition between hydrogen’s different applications. Additionally, while using fuel cells to provide long-duration energy storage can reduce overall capacity requirements for the power sector, the projected growth of large loads, such as data centers, could completely offset sector coupling benefits. Our results elucidate the conditions necessary for large-scale hydrogen deployment and its potential competitiveness.

  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• RAPID: Implications of Utilities Decision-making and Communication Strategies in Urban Populations Response under Extreme Weather Events

  NSF · $50k · 2021–2023

Frequent coauthors

• Tonio Buonassisi

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  65 shared

• Barry Lai

  43 shared

• Sebastian Z. Oener

  Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society

  38 shared

• Stephan Schoenfelder

  38 shared

• Vidya Ganapati

  37 shared

• Daniel M. Kammen

  University of California, Berkeley

  37 shared

• Giso Hahn

  36 shared

• Aaron L. Sampson

  Johns Hopkins University

  36 shared

Awards & honors

• Ervin S. Perry Award – Fariborz Maseeh Department of Civil,…
• Cesar Chávez Si Se Puede Award (2023)