Energy Transitions from Cameroon to Illinois

Astrid Pene interviews Felix Pene, about the energy transitions he has witnessed growing up in Cameroon, studying in France, and living in the United States. Pene describes his career path, from studying electronics in school, to becoming a journalist in Cameroon, to working as a parking attendant, plumber, and cab driver in the United States, to eventually becoming a biomedical engineer. He discusses his childhood in Cameroon, in a village with no running water or electricity. He recalls traditional agriculture, using a hoe and a machete to cultivate coffee and other crops. Pene also reflects on later moving to a city, remembering the process of drawing water from the river, hydroelectric power from dams, and encountering streetlights for the first time. He also discusses moving to France to study, emphasizing the city's running water, Metro, and reliance on electricity (from nuclear energy and hydroelectric dams). Pene talks about owning a hybrid car, using solar panels, and observing wind turbines in Illinois, also reflecting on the challenge of climate denialism and expressing hopes for the future of electric vehicles and renewable energy.