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Throughout the process of my investigation of decarbonization and energy security in Chile, I not only learned about the immense complexity of the electricity sector, I also became much more aware of my own contribution to the tragically carbonized world in which I live.
As I began conducting my research project, I realized just how important it was to familiarize myself with the electricity sector in Chile. With help from resources offered by the GW Chile exchange program, I was able to start an internship at Generadoras de Chile, an organization that works directly with electricity production companies including many renewable energy producers. The information and community I was exposed to through my work there was pivotal to the research project. I had access to the latest news about Chile’s electricity system, including political developments and changes in the private sector. Every week throughout the semester, I was able to get to the unpaid internship and dedicate time to this research thanks to the financial support from the Sustainability Scholars Award.
The internship was ideal for providing me with statistics and data for my research. But that information formed only part of the whole picture. I soon realized the importance of also learning about cultural aspects of Chilean society, especially in order to better understand the state of energy security in the country. Once I began uncovering the many issues and obstacles in the way of a cleaner and more sustainable future, I found myself asking even more questions: how does the economy of Chile interfere with reaching goals of lower emission levels? Why do certain regions in Chile have far greater electrical usage than others?
In order to answer my questions and write about these challenges I had to understand Chilean geography, politics, and even culture on a much deeper level. Therefore, I subscribed to local newspapers and I began planning trips to visit various parts of Chile. With the help of my research advisor, Profesor Pablo Osses, I strategically chose to visit locations where my first hand observations helped me put together a more complete picture of the energy situation within Chile.
Throughout the semester, I gradually collected more and more information for my project. I read hundreds of local newspaper articles and scholarly publications, some of which were sent to me by my GW research advisor, Professor Maria Jose de la Fuente. I collaborated with my internship in order to set up an interview with a director within the Ministry of Energy of Chile. I traveled, observed, and wrote all while improving my Spanish. I impressed myself by the amount of time I dedicated to my research.
Nonetheless, not every part of the research process went as smoothly as I had planned. I originally wanted to interview many people, but the logistics behind coordinating interviews proved challenging and, in the end, time only allowed for one. I also occasionally felt frustrated while working at my internship. Particularly in the beginning, I found it difficult to integrate into the busy office environment and felt that I could have taken more initiative to ask questions and get to know my colleagues better.
Despite the struggles I had faced, the final outcome of my research project is far richer than I ever could have anticipated. Part of the outcome is the thirty page research essay—in Spanish—which breaks down how Chile’s electricity system functions, what plans are being worked on to decarbonize the power grid as well as other sectors, and how Chile can learn from other countries. Another part of the outcome is a website I have worked on where I reflect on my research in English, and I include elements such as my blog and photos of my encounters abroad. Lastly, I have experienced tremendous personal growth throughout my project. I have become far more aware of how much an individual's personal, day-to-day decisions impact the sustainability of the earth as a whole. This alone has inspired me to continue learning about decarbonization and to find ways that I can help contribute to a cleaner world in the future.
