Exploring decarbonization pathways in developing nations
Waterloo graduate student aspires to help cities experiencing chronic energy poverty transition to sustainable modern systems
Waterloo graduate student aspires to help cities experiencing chronic energy poverty transition to sustainable modern systems
By Chantal Vallis Faculty of EnvironmentThere is still one billion people with unreliable energy supply in the world, but Bayo Akomolafe is well equipped to address this gap. With 10 years of experience working in the power generation industry and his lived experience growing up in energy poverty in Nigeria, Akomolafe’s pursuit of creating affordable, reliable, and sustainable modern energy systems for developing nations is well fuelled.
In the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, he begun part-time graduate studies in the School of Environment, Enterprise, and Development (SEED) to advance this passion. With the help of his supervisor, Dr. Amelia Clarke, and the research team in SEED, his return to academic life and transition from a core engineering base into socio-technical studies was seamless. His research narrowed in on deep decarbonization pathways, or strategies, that can propel sustainable development and energy transitions in four leading Sub-Saharan African cities with a combined population of about 30 million.
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