Flipping the Switch on Small Island Sustainability
To celebrate Earth Day, we showcase Duke students’ research into climate energy solutions, using Barbados as case study
-By Charles Givens
April 22, 2025
A team of graduate students from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment conducted field research in Barbados from March 10-14, 2025, to advance a project aimed at improving climate resilience and energy access for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The research focused on developing a framework for selecting sites to deploy solar-plus-storage microgrids at critical facilities like schools, health centers and government buildings.
The five-student team, advised by Dr. Lincoln Pratson, visited more than ten potential sites across the island. During these visits, the team assessed land availability, suitability for solar panels, existing electrical infrastructure, energy demand indicators, and signs of resilience challenges such as flood risk and proximity to coasts.
“These field observations refined the technical feasibility component of our microgrid siting model and revealed local nuances not fully captured by remote data alone,” the team stated in their impact report.
The project, part of the students’ Master of Environmental Management program, uses Barbados as a case study to address energy challenges faced by SIDS. Funding for the research trip included travel support from the Office of Global Affairs via the Global Student Research Fund.
While in Barbados, the students engaged with facility managers and representatives from key government ministries, including Energy, Education and Health. Through interviews and conversations, they gathered data on energy use, regulatory processes, infrastructure priorities, and stakeholder preferences.
These interactions highlighted the importance of aligning microgrid planning with existing government investment timelines and the critical need for transparent, community-driven energy planning. The role of blended finance and external donors in funding energy resilience was also a key takeaway.
The research trip coincided with the Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Global Forum held in Barbados on March 12-13. Attending the forum allowed the team to connect with energy ministers, United Nations leaders, climate finance experts and heads of state from around the world.
The forum focused on advancing equitable energy transitions, particularly in small island and developing states. Discussions included remarks from Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley on the role of SIDS in the global energy transition and the use of climate finance tools like debt-for-climate swaps. Barriers to investment in SIDS and the potential for blended finance were also discussed.
“The forum enriched our project by highlighting the systemic barriers and opportunities related to financing, implementing and scaling clean energy infrastructure in contexts like Barbados,” the report noted.
The team believes their research trip validated their siting criteria, helped gather contextual data for energy modeling, and positioned their framework to be more useful for local stakeholders.
“The experience deepened our understanding of the technical, institutional and equity dimensions of resilient energy planning in small island states,” the team wrote.
Next steps for the project include finalizing the site selection model, conducting energy performance simulations, and producing a final feasibility report for the Rocky Mountain Institute and stakeholders in Barbados. The team hopes the outcomes will inform future microgrid implementation in Barbados and other SIDS facing similar climate resilience challenges.
The student research team members are: Fiona Bolte-Bradhurst, Leah Li, Lauren Ng, Noah Price, and Sydney Williams.
