Conference: Eradicating poverty through energy innovation

Access to energy is at the nexus of many social problems, and improving the ability of people to gain access to affordable, reliable energy could help mitigate the effects of poverty and a host of related challenges, such as access to clean water, food, healthcare, adequate housing and clean environments.

One key idea motivated the Eradicating Poverty through Energy Innovation (EPEI) conference, held Feb. 12-14 at Arizona State University, noted co-organizer Clark Miller, director of ASU’s Center for Energy and Society: “Energy innovation can help end poverty in remote and rural communities if projects can deliver high levels of social and economic value for energy users.”

Conference sponsors included ASU’s QESST photovoltaics engineering research center, the US-Pakistan Centers for Advanced Study in Energy, ASU International Development, the Partnership for Transborder Communities, LightWorks, the Global Institute of Sustainability, and the School for the Future of Innovation in Society.

The conference host, the School for the Future of Innovation in Society, assembled participants with diverse expertise from 11 countries including Pakistan (exchange students from USPCAS-E program), and five continents to share research and experiences and deliberate on strategies for creating pathways to full energy access in areas that don’t currently have electricity.

Conference link: https://sfis.asu.edu/news-events/events/eradicating-poverty-through-energy-innovation

Pre-conference report: https://ifis.asu.edu/sites/default/files/general/miller_et_al_2018_asu-ae4h_poverty_eradication_through_energy_innovation.pdf

ASU Now story: https://asunow.asu.edu/20180216-soltions-eradicating-poverty-through-energy-innovation