About Us

Synapse Energy Economics is a research and consulting firm focused on the intersection of energy, economics, and the environment. Since 1996, we've provided rigorous technical, quantitative, and policy analysis to help public interest and governmental clients improve planning, policies, and decision-making in the energy sector.

We're mission-driven, highly collaborative, and a little bit nerdy.

Team Members Jason, Shelley, and Jack

Integrity & Ingenuity

Our clients depend on our reputation for integrity and independence to add weight to their efforts. So we are careful to say only what we know the evident will support—whether on the witness stand or in a blog. We also tell clients up front if we think the analysis they seek won't deliver the results they expect, and we help them strategize an approach that meets their goals.

At the same time, we are remarkably flexible about putting our brain power to work on each client’s specific needs. Our experts love digging into thorny issues, unique challenges, and new data sources. Clients find our versatility and ingenuity particularly valuable as the energy sector enters uncharted territory with emerging technologies, evolving policy goals, and new regulatory needs.

Why Synapse?

We make energy analysis accessible to government agency & public interest clients

Jeannie Headshot for block
Bruce Headshot

"I’m thrilled to be leading a company known for its dedication to advancing a cleaner, more equitable future. Synapse has built an incredible foundation, thanks in large part to Bruce Biewald. My plan is to focus on initiatives that make it an even better place to work. As we grow and expand, Synapse will continue to protect and advocate for a broader group of stakeholders, pushing forward our commitment to environmental stewardship and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Together, we’re shaping a sustainable and impactful future."

Jean Ann Ramey
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder

 

 

 

 

"Synapse has a unique and essential role in the clean energy transition. We bring the ruthlessly efficient focus, skills, and drive of a for-profit consulting firm together with deeply held public interest values of justice and equity, public health and prosperity, and the long-term viability of our planet.

If you’re faced with a big company with plentiful resources and a plethora of opaque, highly technical supporting documents, you should hire us. If you like digging into complex black box models to understand and show what’s really going on, then you should join us. I’m proud of our team and our clients and our role of bringing first-rate technical and economic analysis to bear on some of the biggest problems of our time."

Bruce Biewald
Board Chair, Chief Scientist, and Founder

Our Core Values

Analytical Integrity

We maintain transparency, rigor, candor, excellence, and integrity in all aspects of our work.

Staff Empowerment

We empower each staff member through respect, input into decision-making, opportunities for professional development, and flexibility to pursue individual interests.

Client Commitment

We strive to understand the diverse needs and perspectives of our clients and to meet their needs as effectively as possible, consistent with our vision statement and core values.

The Public Interest

We design, conduct, and present our research and analyses with the goal of advancing the public interest, which includes achieving energy, economic, environmental, and equity goals.

Innovation

We encourage continuous learning and development of new methods, tools, and approaches to nurture progress in our industry and to pursue our vision.

Collaboration

We promote a constructive and collaborative culture, inside and outside of Synapse and across all levels of staff. Our flexible organizational structure encourages staff to collaborate across a variety of projects, topics, and clients.

Communication

We foster frequent, candid, respectful, accessible, and constructive communication—inside and outside of Synapse and across all levels of staff—to ensure project success, client satisfaction, staff development, a healthy work environment, and public outreach.

Equity and Justice

We promote equity, inclusion, and justice in all aspects of our business.

Work-Life Balance

We flexibly plan and manage our workflow to ensure that staff can achieve their professional goals while nurturing their personal aspirations.

Financial Health

We recognize that Synapse’s financial health is a key element of our success and important to supporting Synapse’s mission and values. To this end, we operate efficiently, evolve thoughtfully, compensate staff fairly, and maintain a sustainable organization.
Synapse Group Photo 2024

Meet Our Expert Team

We’re passionate about analysis. We debate ideas, ask questions, draw charts on white boards, share articles and data sets, and critique each other’s work. We are the antithesis of silo organizations. When you hire Synapse, you hire our whole team.

We’re also passionate about music, sci-fi, dogs, biking, and community engagement. We’re people who like to work with other people to do rigorous, meaningful work.

Client Testimonials

"In-depth data analysis and reporting"

The Cape Light Compact has been working with Synapse on energy efficiency programs for over 20 years. During this time, Synapse has provided in-depth data analysis and reporting for the Compact. The skill sets that Synapse’s staff bring to the Compact’s team are essential in the implementation and success of the Compact’s energy efficiency programs.

"Synapse consistently goes the extra mile to deliver an excellent product"

E4TheFuture has retained Synapse Energy Economics over the past years to conduct analyses and provide expertise in the context of distributed energy resource participation in regional ISO wholesale markets, to research electrification implications in the northeast region, and to lead our work developing guidance on cost-effectiveness testing for distributed energy resources. Across the board, the Synapse team provides top-notch technical expertise and dedication, and they consistently go the extra mile to deliver an excellent product. Moreover, the Synapse team is a pleasure to work with.

"Synapse's experts have deep experience, deliver high-quality work, and are great to work with"

I call Synapse when I need support for reports, training and state technical assistance on a broad range of electricity topics—electricity system planning, benefit-cost analysis, distributed energy resources, electricity markets and performance-based regulation. Synapse's experts have deep experience, deliver high-quality work, and are great to work with.

Frequently Asked Questions

Shoot us a message. We’ll put you in touch with the right expert.

Bruce Biewald and Jeannie Ramey built Synapse from their Cambridge home office in 1996. Synapse has remained a small business but has grown to include 40+ industry experts working in bustling Central Square. Read about Synapse’s founding in Bruce and Jeannie's own words.

Synapse remains privately held as an S-Corporation and runs with help from our Executive Leadership Team.

You can contact our Communications Director Jenny Marusiak at marketing@synapse-energy.com.

We have a strong commitment to engage in work for the public interest—it’s one of our core values. Our clients include governments at all levels, consumer advocates, law firms, private energy companies, grassroots environmental organizations, and foundations. Read more about our clients.

Our logo is a Julia set fractal with 15 iterations. It’s mathematically elegant and kind of resembles a lightning bolt. To us, it represents electricity, speed, impact, intelligence, and consciousness of the natural world.

We do!

Green economics | Neurons applied to problems | Live long and prosper.

Synapse bike racks

Join Our Team

Looking for smart, hardworking new colleagues? Come problem-solve with us!