Journal of Science Policy & Governance
Volume 20, Issue 03 | August 22, 2022

Policy Memo: Democratizing Sustainable Energy Technology through Collaborative International Spaces

R. Jarrett Bliton (1), Rosa I. Cuppari (2), Kirsten B. Giesbrecht (3), Allison M. Smith (4)
  1. Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill/North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
  2. Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
  3. Department of Mathematics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
  4. Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
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​Corresponding author: kirsteng@live.unc.edu​
Keywords: energy transition; energy storage; science diplomacy; renewable energy; net zero; foreign policy; science policy; energy diplomacy
https://doi.org/10.38126/JSPG200302​

Executive Summary

Reliance on fossil fuels has exacerbated climate change and created geopolitical instability. As seen recently with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, key players in the energy sector often exert outsized influence on sovereign states and world markets. The ongoing sustainable energy transition provides an opportunity to change the geopolitical influence of these states while limiting global warming. Countries have an opportunity to use diplomacy to increase the diffusion of renewable energy technologies, particularly to developing countries. This can both reduce the inflated influence of fossil fuel producing states on the global stage and achieve a net zero (NZ) world. In anticipation of this latter transition—and to promote growth in energy diplomacy—we  propose two UN initiatives: a multilateral energy research and storage collaborative, the World Institute for Energy Storage (WIES), and the biennial International Renewable Energy Conference & Expo (IRECE). ​

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Background header image courtesy of  Bureau of Land Manageme
R. Jarrett Bliton is a Ph.D. candidate in biomedical engineering at UNC Chapel Hill and is interested in understanding the roles of stem cells and cellular plasticity in the development of solid tumors. He studies the context in which gastrointestinal stem cells regenerate and how chronic injuries to these stem cells can function as a model for identifying cancer stem cells in the stomach and intestines. Outside of the lab, you can find Jarrett trying out new recipes or rock climbing.​

Rosa I. Cuppari is a Ph.D. student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her primary research interests lie in the intersection of water resource management, policy, and finance. Rosa’s current research focuses on identifying index-based instruments to mitigate weather-related financial risk for hydropower producers. Prior to attending UNC, Rosa worked in the UK as a research analyst for Global Water Intelligence. Her undergraduate degree is in Science, Technology, and International Affairs from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. In her spare time, Rosa can be found puttering in her garden or biking around Chapel Hill.
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Kirsten B. Giesbrecht is an Applied Mathematics Ph.D. student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a trainee through UNC’s Integrative Vascular Biology program. As an American Heart Association predoctoral fellow, Kirsten is using experimental techniques and mathematical tools to develop computational fluid dynamics models to simulate fluid stresses from blood flow in developing chick hearts. These models can be used to elucidate how fluid forces impact cardiac development. Kirsten enjoys hiking with her dog and writing about science communication online at SciCommBites.   

Allison M. Smith is a Ph.D. candidate in Alexander Miller’s research group in the chemistry department at UNC Chapel Hill. Her current research focuses on connections between thermodynamic hydricity and fuel-forming catalysis as part of the UNC-based Center for Hybrid Approaches in Solar Energy to Liquid Fuels Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Innovation Hub. Her work includes developing new methods for hydricity determination, comparing solution and surface hydricities, and using hydricity as a guide for assembling catalytic systems for liquid fuel generation. Outside of the lab, she enjoys hiking, trying new recipes, andreading. 

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