"Energy equity is an issue in economically challenged regions of the global economy," said Tim Lieuwen, executive director of the Strategic Energy Institute. "The hopeful outcome for the participants in the B.E.L. Initiative is to identify what is working in the United States and what could potentially work in Haiti to deliver energy to segments of the population who do not currently have access to this basic necessity."

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Haiti is facing two energy challenges: a broken electricity sector and dependency on charcoal. Only about one-quarter of the population has access to electricity. Even for those with access to electricity, reliability is inconsistent. By exploring renewable energy options abroad, the goal is to find educational or business solutions that will have a long-term success rate.

Max Veve, a 2015 civil engineering graduate of Georgia Tech and current U.S. ambassador for the Youth Government of Haiti, sees the opportunity for entrepreneurial growth for each of the participants. "The B.E.L. Initiative began with a pledge by the Georgia Haitian American Chamber of Commerce to educate 50 young Haitian leaders by 2030 for transformational change in Haiti," Veve said. "It's not realistic to assume the participants will learn everything in one lecture. The idea is that they will, however, begin to develop an understanding of how to build businesses in Haiti that provide important resources, such as off-grid energy."  

The focus of the initiative is for participants to understand and seek ideas in fields that will have a positive economic impact on their communities. Out of 30 applications, and after a rigorous adjudication process, the top four applicants from various regions of the country were selected for the program. At the end of the program, they will present their ideas and solutions to a panel of experts for review and feedback, including project execution and feasibility.