So @ElephantEating's piece got me thinking again about macro-energy systems as a field of study. I tried to come up with an illustrative figure to explain what's on my mind.

Macro-energy systems analysis already has a wide range of methods, subject areas, and disciplines on which to draw, represented by the circles in the figure. (Disclaimer: not comprehensive!)

The question becomes how to combine and reconfigure these elements to address specific research questions within the macro-energy systems domain, as articulated by @pjlevi et al: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542435119303617

To me, the primary focus of macro-energy systems should be to develop the links between the elements, not the elements themselves. How do we link these elements in a coherent way to answer specific questions and derive new insight?

Many researchers focus on more technical work inside the circles and assume that someone else will figure out how to connect it to the rest of the world.

Does macro-energy systems include work within the circles? Of course. But there is a lot hard and underappreciated effort in thinking through how the linkages between the circles should work, and it doesn't map neatly into existing academic disciplines.

The field of macro-energy systems can do a lot of good by focusing attention on the need to develop and strengthen linkages between the different elements within this broad domain.