Leading household energy experts gathered at Duke University in April for discussions on household energy transitions and the global energy access.
The first Sustainable Energy Transition Initiative (SETI ) workshop took place at Duke University from April 25-27 2016, with researchers representing over 20 countries and multiple disciplines. The workshop focused on the state of household energy transitions and access to electricity and other modern fuels. The workshop discussed the drivers of energy transition in low- and middle-income contexts and the impacts of energy transition on health, labor, forests, air quality and climate. Some of the key themes that emerged from the workshop were the importance of understanding heterogeneity in household behavior, the mechanisms driving behaviour and the role of institutions. For example, with better institutions, cost and price curves may shift because corruption and inefficiencies may be reduced. Experts pointed to some of the gaps in relevant research, and how future research efforts may be coordinated to ensure policy relevance. Future research needs to incorporate better interdisciplinary collaborations, low cost methods and solutions and the potential for aggregated policy implementation. Academics and policy makers came from a variety of disciplinary perspectives but with an emphasis on environmental economics and policy.The next workshop will be held during the EfD Annual Meeting in Pucón, Chile in November 2016. For more info about the workshop visit SETI website