At COP28 in December 2023, the United Arab Emirates launched Altérra, a $30 billion commitment to mobilize private capital for the low-carbon transition in low- and middle-income countries. Jonathan Phillips, director of the James E. Rogers Energy Access Project, spoke with ImpactAlpha to help take stock of the fund's performance so far and the challenges ahead for climate finance.

This week, the United States and India signed an agreement aimed at strengthening supply chains for critical minerals that are foundational for energy, manufacturing and defense technologies. The two countries can translate the agreement's diplomatic language into tangible and durable cooperation by focusing on four areas, write Sandeep Pai and Jonathan Phillips, experts with the James E. Rogers Energy Access Project at Duke, in Outlook Business.

Duke University expert Sandeep Pai joined the KankeTalks podcast to explore a range of topics on India's energy future, including whether India is prepared for an energy crisis, the strategic challenges of being 85% dependent on oil imports and the hidden winners and losers in the country's transition from coal to renewables. The conversation also touched on the impact of the U.S.-Iran conflict on gas prices, the reality of the electric vehicle revolution and the geopolitics of rare earth minerals.

Professional students at the Nicholas School of the Environment elected master's student Ananya Aggarwal as their peer speaker at this year's recognition ceremony. Aggarwal worked as a research assistant at the James E. Rogers Energy Access Project at Duke and the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability, supporting research and thought leadership initiatives on international climate finance and energy partnerships, as well as work on international energy transitions.

Ongoing uncertainty around liquid natural gas exports is affecting fossil fuel production around the world. Nicholas Institute expert Sandeep Pai told BBC World Business Report (starting at 19:09) that the current crisis nonetheless does not spell a comeback for coal in India and other countries. “I think the long-term trajectory is set,” Pai said. “All the investments are going in renewables. However, you will see some rise, maybe for a year or two until the whole crisis is settled.”

Coal is integral to Asia’s emergency energy plans as the Iran war disrupts oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. Its wide availability in Asia makes it the default backup when renewables or gas fall short, Nicholas Institute expert Sandeep Pai explained to The Associated Press.

Upgrading Karachi’s electricity network from bare low-voltage wires to aerial bundled cables significantly reduced theft and feeder losses, leading to improved revenue recovery and fewer power outages. However, while the intervention strengthened the utility’s finances and service reliability, it increased billing complaints and may have disproportionately affected poorer households who were newly formalized and consumed relatively little electricity.

This month the Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability and James E. Rogers Energy Access Project at Duke University welcomed Sandeep Pai as an executive in residence and senior lead for international energy transitions. Pai brings more than a decade of leadership experience at the intersection of research, program strategy and policy to the role.

Discover highlights from FY 2025 in this digital report. Covering July 2024 to June 2025, the report features actionable research, engagement with decision‑makers on emerging issues and hands‑on learning experiences that equip Duke students to lead.

Two teams of graduate students from Duke and a team from the University of Cape Town were collectively awarded $15,000 in the finals of the 2025 Energy in Emerging Markets Case Competition held Tuesday as part of Energy Week at Duke. Over the fall, the competition challenged 57 teams to develop business solutions to a real-world energy challenge from Kenya-based company Gridless.

While developing countries are increasingly connecting their populations to electricity, more than 3.5 billion people still lack reliable energy and the social and economic benefits that come with it. A new working paper published by the James E. Rogers Energy Access Project at Duke explores how advances in digital technologies, coupled with shifts in development finance, could enable new performance-linked incentives to improve grid reliability.

A new study sheds light on how political influence affects the distribution of Northern Bangladesh's TR/Kabita solar home system program. "If we want energy access and other basic services to reach the underserved truly, we need systems that not only deliver but also listen," lead author Rafia Zaman, postdoctoral associate at the James E. Rogers Energy Access Project, told Environment for Development.

The richness of Duke’s intellectual communities and its deep commitment to interdisciplinarity are major draws for leading scholars, including Marc Jeuland and Kyle Bradbury, whose reach on campus includes appointments with the Nicholas Institute. 

The 2024–2025 Bass Connections program featured 16 interdisciplinary teams in the Energy & Environment theme administered by the Nicholas Institute. Duke students involved in a handful of the teams talked about their projects during the annual Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Showcase last month.

Two Duke students share takeaways from the 2025 Energy in Emerging Markets Career Trek, held February 27–28 in Washington, D.C. This annual trek brings together Duke students from across disciplines and programs, eager to explore careers in global energy transitions. Organized by Duke’s Global Energy Access Network (GLEAN) and the James E. Rogers Energy Access Project, the trip featured keynotes on innovation in energy careers and data-driven finance, as well as panels on equitable energy transitions and energy access finance and policy.