SUNY Poly's Juan-Felipe Henao, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Management Science, has co-authored new research in Energy Policy, a world-leading journal in the field. The paper, "From Diesel to Biomass: A Strategic Policy Shift for Reducing Energy Poverty in Off-Grid Colombia," was written with Dr. Carlos A. Díaz González of Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga, who visited SUNY Poly in October 2025 (see citation below).

The study identifies a key gap in Colombia's rural energy policy, where biomass supplies just 1.5% of rural energy despite its wide local availability and lower cost, while 85% of off-grid settlements rely on heavily subsidized diesel — regardless of its high costs and complications of fuel transportation to remote areas. Using a novel optimization model across 575 settlements, the researchers found that biomass downdraft gasifiers could feasibly replace diesel in up to 78% of communities, significantly reducing energy poverty within existing government budget constraints and pointing to a strategic policy shift that could lower household costs and environmental impacts in underserved regions.

Diaz, C.A., Henao, F., From Diesel to Biomass: A Strategic Policy Shift for Reducing Energy Poverty in Off-Grid Colombia. Energy Policy, 216, (2026), 115359 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2026.115359.