Christian Bakole Mukulu

What motivates you? 

My participation in this exciting program will certainly influence my daily activities back home. It will help to acquire the additional tools and expand my knowledge related to energy management and above all, teach me how to tackle energy issues from a global perspective. On a larger scale, I will be equipped with extensive experience and knowledge that will facilitate enough to be holding a decision-making position and play an important role in providing solutions on sustainable energy systems in my country, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

What drew you to your professional field?

I grew up very frustrated, in an area that could be supplied with electricity for only four hours a day. Since then, I became yet ambitious to work towards the goal of promoting a reliable energy supply through local planning and governance. Those ambitions have motivated me to pursue further formal studies in the energy sector up to get up a Ph.D. degree and I am serving actually as a World Bank Consultant in charge of tariffication and economic affairs for the DRC Energy Regulatory Authority.

What is something from your country that you would like to share with the UC Davis community?

I would like to secure this opportunity to address the potential that my country possesses, especially in the energy sector. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is located in sub-Saharan Africa. It has a population of approximately 82 million. It has abundant energy resources, ranging from; biomass, hydro-potential, oil, natural gas, coal, solar and wind potentials, geothermal to uranium. The DRC has enormous hydroelectric potential. Hydropower capacity is estimated to be approx. 100000MW, of which 44% is from the INGA Dam.

How would you like to engage with UC Davis and the community here?

I would like to develop networks and contacts while at UC Davis, which I hope will help me to materialize the projects I have planned for my community in the future. 

Through the program, I hope to meet different professionals, power plants, energy industries, and research centers and learn from their different experience which is relevant to my country.