Reflections from Azar Hasanli: Exploring Energy Access Issues in Washington, D.C.

April 2025

A group of Duke students from different undergraduate and graduate programs attended the Energy in Emerging Markets Career Trek in Washington, D.C., from February 27–28, 2025. Organized by the Global Energy Access Network (GLEAN) and the Duke James E. Rogers Energy Access Project, the trek provided an opportunity to engage with industry professionals on financial, policy, and infrastructure challenges of energy access and transition in emerging economies.

This year’s trek took place in light of global political developments, the systemic changes in foreign aid setting, and global climate action. These developments added new perspectives to the discussions, reinforcing the need to rethink how energy access aligns with economic growth and poverty reduction strategies. Throughout the trek, participants and industry professionals discussed different themes related to energy accessibility and transition in developing countries.

The Role of State in Energy Transition: essential and urgent than ever

One of the central themes of the trek was the complex interplay between energy access and economic development. The trek started with a keynote from Alix Zwane’s,  sharing insights on the most recent developments and challenges to the international aid system.

Zwane stated, ‘”State capacity and market capacity are two sides of the same coin. State capacity should be empowered to sustain economic growth”, emphasizing that strengthening state institutions is crucial, especially as recent developments in international aid frameworks make it unlikely that previous mechanisms will be restored in their original form.

This insight resonated throughout the two-day trek, with included panel discussions at Duke in DC as well as visits to different institutions, highlighting the growing role of state capacity in ensuring the sustainability and effectiveness of energy transition initiatives. States, especially in developing countries where market failures and high-risk premiums are prevalent, can play a crucial role in catalyzing private investment in energy access and transition projects. By leveraging their financial resources, policy framework, and administrative capacity, they can create enabling environments that reduces investment risks, attract private capital, and accelerate deployment of sustainable energy. The challenges of risk tolerance and business model sustainability in development finance institutions are prompting states to redesign strategies for mobilizing funds to support energy access and transition. Additionally, geopolitical constraints on resource allocation further emphasize the need for states to take a leading role in facilitating infrastructure development and mitigating investment risks in their countries. 

Energy access and climate finance: Insights from the World Bank

The meeting hosted at the World Bank was valuable for gaining firsthand insights into the Bank’s climate finance portfolio, technical assistance and energy infrastructure projects implemented in developing countries. The presentations made by World Bank team were followed by discussions on the evolving landscape of climate finance and how emerging markets can attract investment for sustainable energy solutions.

Scaling up renewables: The role of the private sector

GLEAN participants also visited CrossBoundary and RMI offices to discuss multidimensional aspects of energy access and transitions projects. The current challenges regarding transformative technologies’ development, developing efficient carbon markets, and ensuring compliance in these markets while reducing financial burdens for the private sector were the primary discussion themes in these visits. Among the central themes discussed were the upfront costs of energy investments in developing countries, market solutions for reducing these risks, and ensuring commercial sustainability of such projects, given challenges related to state and market capacity. The panel hosted at RMI was enriching in terms of informing participants about the company’s renewable energy projects as well as the business environment.

A Transformative Experience

The Energy in Emerging Markets Career Trek was more than just a learning opportunity—it was a transformative experience that deepened participants’ understanding of real-world energy access and transition challenges. The insights shared by professionals from different sectors facilitated a holistic understanding of the problem – from the politics of energy transition to its technological drivers and policy and funding constraints to private sector involvement.

Beyond organization visits, students also gained valuable career insights from industry experts through panel discussions hosted at Duke in DC. The career trek ended with a reception, where GLEAN participants connected with Duke alumni and industry professionals who shared their experiences navigating the energy sector.

Azar Hasanli is a second-year Master of Public Policy (MPP) student at Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in international economics from the Azerbaijan State University of Economics in Baku, Azerbaijan. He has worked as a macroeconomist at the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and as a policy analyst at the Financial Monitoring Service of Azerbaijan. His academic endeavor at Duke focuses on energy transition in resource-rich economies and the intersection of climate finance policies with economic development.