Duke University students publish case studies illuminating energy poverty

Nearly three billion people rely on traditional stoves and solid fuels while one billion lack access to electricity.

What does that look like? Picture a villager who wants to run a barbershop or hair salon but can only plug in tools for an hour a day. Or a health clinician confronting random power blackouts that could last from minutes to weeks. Or a woman preparing food for her family on a cookstove fueled by trash, for lack of other options. Or a young person who can only study after work, when lighting is scarce.

Now zoom out. What does it mean for an entire community, region, or nation to lack reliable energy access? The public health, economic, educational, and infrastructural implications are devastating. And then, of course, there's the profound environmental challenge facing even those of us who already have access: how do we produce energy that is both clean and affordable?

In their recently published volume of case studies, Duke University students analyze and share takeaways about energy access, insights drawn from fieldwork across the developing world.

Researchers and practitioners who address energy access issues frequently find themselves "reinventing the wheel" when engaging with unfamiliar contexts and communities, said Faraz Usmani (PhD'19), an Energy Initiative Doctoral Student Fellow who coedited the first volume with fellow T. Robert Fetter (PhD'17). "So many Duke students have had experiences that illuminate these challenges and potential solutions. We wanted to gather those and present them in a highly readable way."   

Published by Duke's student Global Energy Access Network (GLEAN), the volume includes six case studies about communities in India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Nicaragua, and Peru. Eleven Duke students were authors: Aashna Aggarwal (BS'19); Samantha Childress (MEM'18); Lydia Greene (BS'11, PhD'21); Laura Guidera (BS'18); Katherine Guo (BS & BSE'19); Danielle Holt (BS & BSE'19); Thomas Klug (AB & BS'18); Erin Litzow (MEM'17); Emily Rains (PhD'20); Sushmita Samaddar (MPP'17); and Tyler Wakefield (AB'18).

The case studies address issues including financial viability of utility providers, relationships between local community members and distant institutions, and the gap that sometimes persists between householders' beliefs and "expert knowledge." Several case studies originated in the authors' experiences with Duke Engage service-learning projects or Bass Connections interdisciplinary research projects.

While each case study focuses on energy access in a specific community context, the editors' introduction outlines several cross-cutting themes:

• Where formal governmental entities have struggled to provide adequate services, local organizations can play a substantial role in meeting communities' needs in ways that may yield unanticipated positive consequences;
• Involving local community members is often critical for long-term project viability;
• The tactics used to persuade local community members to take up new technologies should correspond to local needs, understandings, and beliefs; and
• In addition to providing direct societal benefits, collective action to expand energy access can generate more diffuse communal pay-offs, such as increased institutional capacity and heightened trust in local institutions.

Last year's request for proposals (RFP) drew "more high-quality contributions than we could afford to fund," noted Usmani. A second volume will be published in 2018. All Duke University students are welcome to respond to this year's request for one-page proposals (applications accepted on a rolling basis; final deadline 1/26). Submitters whose proposals are successful will receive a $300 stipend to develop a 2,500-word case study.

A growing network of students committed to solving a global challenge

GLEAN, the student organization that publishes the case studies, was formed in 2016 when three graduate students from programs in the Nicholas School of the Environment and Sanford School of Public Policy decided it was time to ignite more research and policy dialogue on energy access across campus. Hannah Girardeau (MEM'17), Usmani, and Fetter submitted a successful funding proposal to the Office of the Vice-Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies, which awarded them a Duke Support for Interdisciplinary Graduate Networks (D-SIGN) grant.

Faculty advisors Subhrendu Pattanayak (Sanford School of Public Policy) and Brian Murray (Director of the Duke University Energy Initiative and faculty at Nicholas School of the Environment) offered guidance as the network took shape during the 2016-2017 school year. The first cohort included students from diverse degree programs, studying everything from environmental management to documentary arts to law to biomedical engineering.

This year, GLEAN—which is housed by the Energy Initiative—received a follow-on DSIGN grant to continue their growth and work under the leadership of PhD students Yating Li, Muye Ru, Usmani, and Heidi Vreeland. GLEAN now includes more than 50 graduate and undergraduate students representing at least seven schools and departments across Duke.

Members meet once or twice a month to share scoops about relevant activities, opportunities, and resources at their respective schools and departments, as well as beyond Duke. Working in small teams, they also undertake projects like the volumes of case studies.

For example, last year they organized an Energy Access Speaker Series including seven talks by a diverse range of experts on energy, environment, and development. Five of the events were co-organized with other Duke programs. "We try to maximize the speakers' visits," notes Usmani. "Usually, a speaker will be at Duke two or three days. They'll do at least one talk, sometimes two; share meals with Duke faculty and GLEAN students; and meet over coffee with small groups or individuals."  

This year's Speaker Series has so far featured a talk by Dr. Shu Tao (Peking University). Upcoming speakers include Dr. Akanksha Chaurey (ITP India) and Dr. Jill Baumgartner (McGill University).

Another project last year was the compilation of a detailed annotated bibliography of energy, environment and development data sources available publicly that will be useful in creating an Energy Access Index.

A new effort for 2017-2018 is the ImaginEnergy photo competition, which challenges Duke community members to submit photos by March 20 representing their observations, insights, fieldwork, or research projects on issues related to energy access. The winning photographs will be professionally printed and exhibited at the Brown Gallery in the Bryan Center in late spring and later displayed in the Energy Initiative's offices.

"We created the D-SIGN program to give graduate students the opportunity to pursue collaborative, interdisciplinary projects that would stretch their horizons, build their networks, and deepen connections across the many intellectual communities at Duke," noted Edward Balleisen, Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies.  "GLEAN has been exemplary in each of these dimensions, focusing the attention of dozens of Duke graduate students and now undergrads on the imperative of expanding reliable, affordable, and sustainable access to electricity."

The broader picture of energy access research at Duke

In addition to GLEAN (which is composed primarily of graduate students), a club called EnergyX emerged last spring, with the aim of connecting undergraduates interested in opportunities for action related to energy access. Two EnergyX members recently represented North America at the global finals of a Schneider Electric energy case competition, placing third overall.

"The keen interest in energy access among students isn't surprising, given that many faculty across Duke University are engaged in research addressing this global challenge," said Murray, Director of the Energy Initiative, a university-wide interdisciplinary hub for energy education, research, and engagement.  

Murray referenced the Sustainable Energy Transitions Initiative housed at Duke and pointed out that the university's new Energy Access Project is sure to accelerate the search for solutions by faculty and students alike. Launched with a gift from James E. Rogers (former CEO, Duke Energy) and his wife M.A., the project is a collaborative effort Launched with a gift from James E. Rogers (former CEO, Duke Energy) and his wife M.A., the project is a collaborative effort among the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions, Energy Initiative, Nicholas School of the Environment, Sanford School of Public Policy, and Bass Connections. 

Fittingly, two of the key staffers for the new Energy Access Project—Girardeau (MEM'17) and Fetter (PhD'17)—were among the founders of GLEAN.

To join GLEAN: Duke students, contact one of the coordinators listed here or send an email to sympa@duke.edu with no subject and the following message: subscribe glean

To submit a case study: Duke students, check out the RFP.

To submit an entry for the ImaginEnergy photo contest: All Duke faculty, staff, and students can apply.

To support activities that support energy students' learning beyond the classroom: Contact Stacy Peterson (stacy.peterson@duke.edu), Senior Education Program Coordinator at the Energy Initiative.