World Resources Institute (WRI) and the University of Chicago have announced a combined $100 million commitment from Michael and Tanya Polsky through the Polsky Foundation to accelerate pragmatic, scalable solutions for the global energy transition.

The gift includes $75 million to WRI to establish the WRI Polsky Center for the Global Energy Transition, which aims to harness analytical power, convening ability, and global expertise to help orchestrate the transition to a clean, abundant, affordable, and reliable energy future. Initially focused on the United States and India and working to create replicable models and accelerate global progress, the center will focus on solutions to six critical challenges: the transmission and distribution infrastructure, finance to increase installations for clean energy, promoting the responsible sourcing of critical minerals, supporting large buyer demand, addressing barriers to siting clean energy projects, and equipping the future workforce with education and skills development.

In addition, a $25 million gift to the university will establish the Polsky Energy Transition Leadership Academy. Housed within the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth—with the Booth School of Business as a key partner—the Polsky Academy will provide experiential learning, immersive field experiences, and career mentorship to help students grapple with the dual goals of the need for inexpensive, reliable energy and a manageable climate. 

“The energy transition is inevitable, but it’s not an instantaneous shift—and we must lead it strategically,” said Michael Polsky. “If we don’t seize this opportunity, others will. In the quest for energy independence, we must build resilient systems that are less vulnerable to volatile markets. We have the opportunity to build efficient, cleaner, low-cost, scalable energy infrastructure while fostering technological leadership. Tanya and I are proud to support WRI’s efforts to shape a future of clean, abundant, affordable and reliable energy for generations, and the University of Chicago in shaping the leaders who will realize this vision.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Achim Schneider - reisezielinfo.de)