Natural gas or 100% renewable: How should developing countries expand their energy infrastructure?
Presentation Type
Abstract
Faculty Advisor
Greg Pope
Access Type
Event
Start Date
25-4-2025 1:30 PM
End Date
25-4-2025 2:29 PM
Description
This report analyzes several key factors influencing developing nations’ decisions on what energy sources to invest in and asks whether sufficient development can be achieved without natural gas. It is argued that although renewable resources should be emphasized in their energy infrastructure expansion, natural gas must also be included as a key resource to increase economic productivity and meet their sustainable development goals. The major variables explored include the cost and value of different forms of energy; the general financial positions of emerging and developing economies and their abilities to procure foreign financing for different types of energy projects with different kinds of funding agreements; the changing costs of renewable energy capital, focusing on solar and wind technologies; the different geographical advantages certain regions have over others in exploiting renewable energy; the up-front costs of constructing different types of power plants and energy infrastructure, including energy storage costs for non-dispatchable resources; and the differing energy mixes seen across developing countries. Notable figures and important qualitative information from the last three decades collected from sources including Lazard, the Federal Reserve, the Energy Information Administration, the World Bank, William and Mary’s AidData, the World Economic Forum, the US Geological Survey, the International Hydropower Association, and the Public Finance for Energy Database are presented, explained, and evaluated. Statistical analysis and forecasting projections are presented with charts and tables on country-specific foreign investment and interest rates and energy project financing using data from the Public Finance for Energy Database and AidData from William and Mary.
Natural gas or 100% renewable: How should developing countries expand their energy infrastructure?
This report analyzes several key factors influencing developing nations’ decisions on what energy sources to invest in and asks whether sufficient development can be achieved without natural gas. It is argued that although renewable resources should be emphasized in their energy infrastructure expansion, natural gas must also be included as a key resource to increase economic productivity and meet their sustainable development goals. The major variables explored include the cost and value of different forms of energy; the general financial positions of emerging and developing economies and their abilities to procure foreign financing for different types of energy projects with different kinds of funding agreements; the changing costs of renewable energy capital, focusing on solar and wind technologies; the different geographical advantages certain regions have over others in exploiting renewable energy; the up-front costs of constructing different types of power plants and energy infrastructure, including energy storage costs for non-dispatchable resources; and the differing energy mixes seen across developing countries. Notable figures and important qualitative information from the last three decades collected from sources including Lazard, the Federal Reserve, the Energy Information Administration, the World Bank, William and Mary’s AidData, the World Economic Forum, the US Geological Survey, the International Hydropower Association, and the Public Finance for Energy Database are presented, explained, and evaluated. Statistical analysis and forecasting projections are presented with charts and tables on country-specific foreign investment and interest rates and energy project financing using data from the Public Finance for Energy Database and AidData from William and Mary.
Comments
Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.