Terra Magazine has released a new article detailing “our contentious relationship with the energy industry”. In this article: Energy Matters by Nick Houtman, we explore the research of Hilary Boudet on the use of energy data for conservation purposes. Boudet has been exploring these issues for years, learning about how energy projects are described and debated by industry and the public during her time at ExxonMobil, and striving to dig deeper into the decision making process via exploration of politics around 20 proposals to build large energy facilities in the U.S.
Since her days at Rice and Stanford University, Boudet has been exploring the ways in which people engage with energy development with her students, documenting the views of those participating in large development projects. Boudet and her colleagues have come to a number of conclusions regarding these politics, noticing that they tend to revolve around “factors such as access to the levers of power, the nature of a perceived threat and the potential for economic benefit”.
Read more about Boudet’s involvement with energy and her new project: “Smart & Connected Kids for Sustainable Energy Communities” here.
CATEGORIES: Academics Energy Research