WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT ...
Meaningful community engagement is essential for effective applied research, as communities have the best understanding of their own needs and priorities.
Reliable, accessible, and trustworthy data is essential for informed decision-making. Innovative technology can bridge gaps in data-scarce areas, addressing unique challenges effectively.
Collaborative applied research involving multidisciplinary academic and non-academic partnerships maximizes its relevance in addressing real-world problems.
It is crucial to consider how underserved communities impact and are impacted by our research approaches, and insights to ensure equity, justice, and inclusion
IDEAS for Community-Responsive Development-Centered Energy Systems
IDEAS research lab is part of the University of Washington's Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. We aim to advance sustainable, inclusive, equitable, and integrated energy systems development and planning. Our mission is to empower underserved communities and promote social development through innovative research at the intersection of climate, energy, and development and by producing and sharing data-driven insights.
Updates
October 2024
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NEW PAPER ALERT! PI Lukuyu and co-authors Rebekah Shirley and Jay Taneja have published a new article: Managing grid impacts from increased electric vehicle adoption in African cities. Sci Rep 14, 24320 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-75039-3.
In this paper, we analyze the impacts of expanding electric vehicle fleets—private, commercial, and paratransit—on Nairobi’s power grid. We simulate traffic patterns, charging behaviors, and transformer utilization using local mobility data. Our results show that while electric commercial and paratransit fleets may improve power system efficiency, widespread private EV adoption could significantly strain the grid, increasing peak loads and transformer aging. Smart charging strategies could mitigate these issues, reducing potential transformer replacement costs by up to 40%. Our study highlights the importance of tailored demand management and infrastructure planning to support EV growth in African cities, providing critical insights for policymakers, utilities, and transport planners to facilitate sustainable electric mobility transitions.
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September 2024
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We joined the eGUIDE network for an annual retreat in Rochester NY, which we kicked off with a visit to the Niagara Power Vista. Ahana and Kwame presented posters on their ongoing research.​
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PI Lukuyu attended several events during NYC Climate Week, including Climate Change AI and Google DeepMind’s event, AI for Climate Action: From Data to Impact. At this event, she delivered a lightning talk titled "Enabling Smart Grids for Climate Resilience & Adaptation in Africa" to showcase their CCAI-sponsored project, alongside a panel discussion featuring collaborator Genevieve Flasplohler.
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We are excited to welcome Aya Alayli to team!
August 2024
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We had the pleasure of welcoming Biniyam Gebreyohannes, a fellow from the UW Clean Energy Bridge to Research Program (CEBR), and Lillian Nguyen, a Clean Energy Institute ALVA fellow, for their Summer Research Experience. Biniyam explored how weather patterns affect Minigrid electricity behavior, drawing insights from the Katiirwe solar Minigrid in Western Uganda. Meanwhile, Lillian investigated Climate and Energy Injustice, focusing on racial and income disparities in access to indoor comfort. They were mentored by Ahana, Kwame, and Miquilina.
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 Biniyam Gebreyohannes |  Lillian Nguyá»…n |
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July 2024
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Miquilina Anagbah kicks off data collection for the project: Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives of Electric Bus Service in Kigali, Rwanda. in collaboration with students from the University of Rwanda, College of Science and Technology.
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June 2024
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We welcomed Miquilina Anagbah to our group!
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Congratulations to Ahana Mukherjee for receiving the UW CEI Graduate Fellowship!
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Team
DR. JUNE LUKUYU
Principal Investigator
June is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the of Washington, with a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, an MSc. in Renewable Energy Systems Technology from Loughborough University, UK, and a BS in Engineering Science from Smith College. She is affiliated with the UW Clean Energy Institute, co-PI with the e-GUIDE initiative, fellow with the Energy for Growth Hub, and served on the board of Spark NorthWest.
ELIANE NIRERE
PHD Student
Eliane earned her master's degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering with a specialization in Energy Systems from Carnegie Mellon University Africa. Her research focuses on the planning and implementation of technologies that enhance sustainable energy access in underserved communities.
AHANA MUKHERJEE
PHD Student
Ahana has a bachelor's degree in Civil & Environmental Engineering from UCLA and a master's degree in Energy, Civil Infrastructure, and Climate from UC Berkeley. She has experience designing and implementing utility-scale battery energy storage systems and commercial solar and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Her research interests include renewable energy power systems, electrification, energy access, and socially conscious equitable designs.
KWAME DONKOR
PHD Student
Kwame is passionate about enhancing the reliability and sustainability of electrical grid systems through data analytics. He is excited about the possibilities of using data from grids and renewable energy sources to meet demand shortfalls and provide cheaper, better-quality electricity for underserved communities. Kwame has extensive experience in the electrical services and automation industry in Accra, Ghana, and is drawn to autonomous systems. In his free time, he enjoys the occasional Netflix binge, playing football (not the American one!), taking long walks, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with friends.
MIQUILINA ANAGBAH
PHD Student
Miquilina's passion for clean energy access and mini-grid development is electrifying! With a strong foundation in power systems analysis, design, and operations, Miquilina aims to revolutionize how we think about electrification for sustainable development. She earned her Master's in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University Africa. Her research dives deep into mini-grid techno-economic analyses and grid integration studies and looks for new ways to push the boundaries of what's possible. Outside the lab, she loves studying new languages and playing the piano.
AYA ALAYLI
PHD Student
Aya has a strong passion for grid planning, sustainable development, policy, and energy equity. She earned her Bachelor's from the Electrical and Computer Engineering department here at UW and has previous experience working within different aspects of the electric power industry. Her research interests center around community-led energy transitions, energy justice, and resiliency. Outside of the lab, Aya enjoys exploring Seattle, reading, and spending time outdoors
Research
Energizing Communities: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Sustainable Rural Electrification
Supported by UW Royalty Research Fund
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Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives of Electric Bus Service in Kigali, Rwanda
Supported by: BasiGo
Collaborator: STIMA Lab, UMass Amherst
Centering community needs and local governance: An integrated approach to decentralized electrification in East Africa
Collaborators: Elise Harrington, UMN ; Maria Nantongo, MUBS & Nicholas Mukisa, MUBS
Investigating Barriers to Household Clean Energy Transitions in Informal Settlements in Nairobi
Supported by eGUIDE initiative
Collaborators: QSEL, Columbia University, Dr. Austine Otieno (Technical University of Kenya), Paul Kyoma (Makerere University)
Evaluating Community-based Approaches for Mini-Grid Demand Estimation in Fiji
Collaborator: LEAPS, Arizona State University
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Publications
JOURNAL ARTICLES
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Managing grid impacts from increased electric vehicle adoption in African cities. June Lukuyu, Rebekah Shirley, and Jay Taneja. Scientific Reports. vol. 14, page 24320, Oct 2024.
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Powering Up in Africa: Electricity demand stimulation to build inclusive economies, reduce inequality, and improve power system sustainability. June Lukuyu and Jay Taneja. Current Sustainable/Renewable Energy Reports, vol. 10, no. 1, pages. 1–11, Jan. 2023
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Purchasing power: Examining customer profiles and patterns for decentralized electricity systems in East Africa. June Lukuyu, Myriam Shiran, Ryan Kennedy, Johannes Urpelainen, and Jay Taneja. Energy Policy. vol. 172. Elsevier BV, page. 113331, Jan. 2023
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Guiding the deployment of electric vehicles in the developing world. Michael Dioha, June Lukuyu, Edgar Virgüez and Ken Caldeira. Environmental Research Letters. Vol. 17, Issue 7, page 071001. Jun 2022.
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Building the supply of demand: Experiments in mini-grid demand stimulation. June Lukuyu, Rob Fetter, P. P. Krishnapriya, Nathan Williams, and Jay Taneja. Development Engineering. vol. 6, page 100058, Jan. 2021.
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A risk-adjusted techno-economic analysis for renewable-based milk cooling in remote dairy farming communities in East Africa. June Lukuyu, Richard Blanchard, and Paul Rowley. Renewable Energy. vol. 130, pages 700–713, Jan. 2019.
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Hybrid Power System Options for Off-Grid Rural Electrification in Northern Kenya. June Lukuyu and Judith B. Cardell. Smart Grid and Renewable Energy. vol. 05, no. 05, pages 89–106, May 2014.
CONFERENCE PAPERS
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A Principled Incentive Mechanism to Promote Economic Viability of Mini-Grids. A. Mehta, L. Niu, D. Sahabandu, J. Lukuyu and R. Poovendran. 2024 IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting (PESGM), Seattle, WA, USA, 2024, pp. 1-5.
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Diesel GenSat: Using Satellite Data to Detect Diesel-Powered Irrigation for Guiding Electrification in Ethiopia. June Lukuyu, Gunther Bensch, Terrence Conlon, Anvita Patel, Vijay Modi, and Jay Taneja. Proceedings of the Thirteenth ACM International Conference on Future Energy Systems, 2022. Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 325–337.
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Fish and Chips: Converting Fishing Boats for Electric Mobility to Serve as Minigrid Anchor Loads. June Lukuyu, Aggrey Muhebwa, and Jay Taneja. Proceedings of the Eleventh ACM International Conference on Future Energy Systems, 2020.Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 208–219.
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The Impact of Variable Market Price on Optimal Control of Wind-Hydro Storage System in Kenya. Maureen Murage, Judy Cardell, June Lukuyu, and Lindsay Anderson. 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences, 2014, 2417–2425
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Wind-diesel microgrid system for remote villages in Kenya. June Lukuyu, North American Power Symposium (NAPS), 2012. 1–6.
REPORTS, MEMOS AND BLOG POSTS
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Spotlight Kampala: Illuminating Energy Inequities in Informal Urban Communities. Main Findings Report. Kersey, J., Mbabazi, J., Massa, C., Letaru, L., Lukuyu, J., van Hove, E., Kyoma, P., 26 July 2023
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Recognizing the energy access challenges of informal urban communities in Africa. June Lukuyu and Jess Kersey. Energy for Growth Hub. December, 2022
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Who Decides Africa’s Net Zero Pathways? Five ways to fix how we model African energy transitions and why it matters for climate and development. Lauren Culver, Rose Mutiso, Moussa Blimpo, Murefu Barasa, Katie Auth, June Lukuyu, Ken Caldeira, Michael Dioha, Habiba Ahut Daggash, Joel Nana, Zeke Hausfather, Lily Odarno, Joan Nkiriki. Energy for Growth Hub. October, 2022.
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The Drivers of Africa's Electric Vehicle Future Might Be Different Than You Think. June Lukuyu, Rebekah Shirley, Jay Taneja. Energy for Growth Hub. October 24, 2022.
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Opportunities for Data-Driven Planning at the Power-Agriculture Nexus in Ethiopia. Jay Taneja, June Lukuyu. Energy for Growth Hub. Sep 28, 2022
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How can electric transportation advance Africa's sustainable development agenda? June Lukuyu. Energy for Growth Hub. May 9, 2022
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Sub-Saharan Africa Should Shift its Focus to Developing Productive Uses of Energy. June Lukuyu. Energy for Growth Hub. December 6, 2021
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Can microgrids enable macro development? Brookings Blog. Rob Fetter, June Lukuyu, Jay Taneja, and Nathan Williams. June 27, 2019
Media
Coffee Break Briefing with June Lukuyu: Guiding an EV Future in Africa
PARTNERSHIPS & AFFILIATIONS
