Providing Clean Fuel for the Developing World: Technology Is Not Enough (2019-2020)

This Bass Connections project introduced students to the challenges involved in developing, translating and promoting new technologies to address global problems. The team began by researching the current trends and history of biomass as a fuel source for cooking, focusing specifically on India. They gained an understanding of the cultural motivations for using biomass, indoor air pollution problems resulting from burning biomass, restrictions in accessibility to cleaner resources and the implications of government incentives to convert to other cooking fuels. From here, they devised an idea for an alternative fuel source that would eliminate the need for a supply chain, be renewable and provide fuel for cooking and heating at a lower cost than using electricity from an electrochemical battery.

Timing

Summer 2019 – Spring 2020

Team Outputs

Improving Indoor Air Quality with Clean Fuel (Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Virtual Showcase 2020)

Providing Clean Fuel for the Developing World: Hydrogen Stove Technology to Mitigate Indoor Air Pollution (poster by Rebecca Melaku, Kennedy Sun, Kami Pullakhandam, Sarabesh Natarajan)

Reflection

Sarabesh Natarajan

This Team in the News

Senior Spotlight: Reflections from the Class of 2022

Nickel Felt Makes Optimum Electrolysis

Duke Researchers Boost Electrolyzer Productivity with Microfibrous Flow-through Electrode; 12.5- to 50-times Greater than Conventional

Ever Newer Shortcuts to Cheaper Hydrogen

Electrolysis Advance Points to Hydrogen Storage

Flow-through Electrodes Make Hydrogen 50 Times Faster

See related team, Providing Clean Fuel for the Developing World (2020-2021).

 

Image: Fogarty NIH 50th symposium cookstoves, by Andrew Propp for Fogarty International Center/NIH, public domain

Fogarty NIH 50th symposium cookstoves.

Team Leaders

  • August Frechette, Pratt–Mechanical Engineering–Ph.D. Student
  • Nico Hotz, Pratt School of Engineering-Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science
  • Benjamin Wiley, Arts & Sciences-Chemistry
  • Feichen Yang, Arts and Sciences–Chemistry–Ph.D. Student

/undergraduate Team Members

  • Anjali Arora, Mechanical Engineering (BSE)
  • Rebecca Melaku, Biology (BS)
  • Sarabesh Natarajan, Chemistry (BS)
  • Kamala Pullakhandam, Public Policy Studies (AB)
  • Kennedy Sun, Psychology (BS)

/yfaculty/staff Team Members

  • Marc Jeuland, Sanford School of Public Policy