Update repo

.vscode/excel-pq-symbols/excel-pq-symbols.json

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+[
+    {
+        "name": "Excel.CurrentWorkbook",
+        "documentation": {
+            "description": "Returns the contents of the current Excel workbook.",
+            "longDescription": "Returns tables, named ranges, and dynamic arrays. Unlike Excel.Workbook, it does not return sheets.",
+            "category": "Accessing data"
+        },
+        "functionParameters": [],
+        "completionItemKind": 3,
+        "isDataSource": true,
+        "type": "table"
+    },
+    {
+        "name": "Documentation",
+        "documentation": {
+            "description": "Contains properties for function documentation metadata",
+            "category": "Documentation"
+        },
+        "functionParameters": [],
+        "completionItemKind": 9,
+        "isDataSource": false,
+        "type": "record",
+        "fields": {
+            "Name": { "type": "text" },
+            "Description": { "type": "text" },
+            "Parameters": { "type": "record" }
+        }
+    }    
+
+]

.vscode/settings.json

@@ -122,5 +122,16 @@
       "source.fixAll.ruff": "explicit",
       "source.organizeImports.ruff": "explicit"
     }
-  }
+  },
+  "cSpell.words": [
+    "Altayeb",
+    "comtrade",
+    "Ermishina",
+    "figsize",
+    "Mariia",
+    "Saeed"
+  ],
+  "powerquery.client.additionalSymbolsDirectories": [
+    "c:/Users/Lenovo/AHD MIT/ET6-CDSP-group-08-repo-4/.vscode/excel-pq-symbols"
+  ]
 }

0_domain_study/README.md

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 # Domain Research
+
+## Background Review
+
+<!-- markdownlint-disable MD012 MD031 MD033 MD035 MD032 MD004 MD009 MD013 MD045 MD024 -->
+
+### The Role of Solar Energy in Humanitarian and Conflict-Affected Contexts
+
+### 1. Introduction
+
+Solar energy plays a key role in ensuring sustainable and equitable energy
+access, particularly in regions affected by armed conflict, displacement, and
+infrastructure destruction. Its decentralized nature, affordability, and rapid
+deployability make it a powerful tool for humanitarian response and recovery
+efforts.
+
+### 2. Energy Poverty and Conflict Impact
+
+As of 2024, over 130 million people were forcibly displaced due to war,
+persecution, or disaster, including 33 million refugees and 63 million
+internally displaced persons (IDPs) ([UNHCR,
+2024](https://reporting.unhcr.org/global-appeal-2024-6383)). Access to food,
+shelter, healthcare, and water are immediate needs—but all are energy-dependent.
+Clean energy access is essential in both emergency and protracted displacement
+settings for cooking, lighting, medical services, education, and safety.
+
+- 80% of displaced people still rely on firewood or biomass for cooking ([WHO,
+  2023](https://energypedia.info/wiki/Energy_Access_in_Displacement_Settings),
+  exposing women and girls to safety risks and indoor
+  air pollution.
+
+- Nearly 90% of refugee settlements lack reliable electricity access ([GPA,
+  2022](https://www.humanitarianenergy.org/assets/resources/SOHES.pdf)).
+
+- Energy poverty worsens gender inequalities, increases environmental
+  degradation, and limits livelihood and learning opportunities.
+
+### 3. Solar Energy in Conflict and Post-Conflict Zones
+
+Renewable energy, especially solar, has proven to be vital in fragile and war-
+torn settings. Solar technologies can be rapidly deployed and maintained
+locally, offering resilient energy for critical infrastructure:
+
+- Mobile clinics and field hospitals powered by solar improve health outcomes in
+  areas where traditional grids are non-functional.
+
+- Solar lighting enhances safety in refugee camps and post-conflict rural areas,
+  especially for women and children.
+
+- Access to energy supports small-scale recovery efforts, such as water pumping,
+  digital communication, and refrigeration of medicines.
+
+While there are fewer large-scale examples due to the security risks in active
+warzones, organizations such as UNHCR and the ICRC have implemented solar
+microgrids and standalone solar systems in conflict-affected regions like South
+Sudan, Syria, and parts of Ukraine.
+
+### 4. Renewable Energy as a Pathway to Peace and Resilience
+
+According to [CYIS, 2024](https://cyis.org), integrating solar energy into
+humanitarian and peacebuilding strategies can:
+
+- Promote cooperation and reduce tension over scarce resources;
+
+- Foster community resilience by enabling shared energy management;
+
+- Reduce dependency on diesel fuel, which is costly and dangerous to transport
+  in war zones.
+
+Access to solar energy can be perceived as a neutral, community-owned resource
+that enables stability and recovery while fostering social cohesion.
+
+### 5. Global Trends in Renewable Energy (Statistical Review of World Energy 2024)
+
+- In 2023, solar energy accounted for 346 GW of newly installed capacity—75% of
+  all new renewable energy.
+
+- China, Europe, and the United States led solar deployment.
+
+- Still, fossil fuels represented 81.5% of global primary energy consumption.
+
+- Over 750 million people worldwide lack electricity access, with conflict zones
+  disproportionately represented.
+
+Source: [Energy Institute Statistical Review
+2024](https://www.energyinst.org/statistical-review)
+
+### 6. Insights from Our World in Data
+
+- Solar power accounts for around 5% of total electricity production globally,
+  growing faster than any other source.
+
+- Solar generation costs have dropped by 89% since 2010.
+
+- Energy inequality remains stark: per capita energy use in developing nations
+  is six times lower than in North America.
+
+Source: [Our World in Data — Renewable
+Energy](https://ourworldindata.org/renewable-energy)
+
+### 7. Conclusion
+
+Solar energy is more than a technical solution—it is a humanitarian and
+peacebuilding tool. In conflict-affected settings where centralized
+infrastructure has collapsed or is unreliable, solar provides an immediate,
+scalable path toward sustainable recovery and resilience.
+
+To be effective, solar solutions must be integrated into broader energy access
+strategies and peacebuilding frameworks. This includes:
+
+- Prioritizing local ownership and maintenance;
+
+- Building market-based models that continue post-aid;
+
+- Aligning with national recovery and climate goals.
+
+In war-affected regions, access to solar energy is not an option—it is a
+necessity for survival, recovery, and long-term peace.
+
+War damages nature badly from pollution, destroyed farmland, poisoned water
+ and air, deforestation, and waste are common results of war.
+These environmental effects hurt both people and ecosystems.
+ It affects food, health, water, and the ability to rebuild communities
+  after the war.  
+
+The UN is starting to take this seriously. In 2024, the UN Environment
+Assembly (UNEA‑6) passed a resolution to improve environmental protection in
+conflict zones.
+[Link here](https://www.bic-rhr.com/research/strengthening-environmental-resilience-conflict-zones-analysis-unea-6-resolution-and-perac)
+
+  >Environmental recovery is now a global priority.
+
+- Renewable energy should be part of post-war recovery plans, especially since
+  they’re clean and decentralized.
+- Renewable energy is a safer, more resilient alternative—less centralized,
+  quicker to deploy, and more sustainable in crisis.
+- Could contribute to or align with UNEP’s future frameworks.
+
+ ``` "Planet over Politics" ```
+

0_domain_study/progress.md

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+# Team Progress
+
+![infographic](../0_domain_study/groupprogress.png)
+
+## Convergent and Divergent thinking
+
+### Problem Identification
+
+```mermaid
+---
+config:
+  theme: neutral
+  look: neo
+---
+flowchart TB
+ subgraph s1[" "]
+        B{"Sub-domains"}
+        A("Define Domain and Interests")
+        BA("Environmental policy")
+        BB("Solar Energy Systems")
+        BC("Climate change mitigation")
+        BD("Renewable Energy")
+        C{"Domain"}
+        D["Sustainable development"]
+        nn("Start")
+  end
+ subgraph s[" "]
+        n1["Problem Statement"]
+        n2["Research questions"]
+        n3["**How can the adoption of renewable
+        energy—particularly solar power—serve as
+        a tool to combat climate change, reduce inequality,
+        and drive sustainable development in under-served and conflict-affected communities?**"]
+        n31["**What are the economic and environmental benefits of transitioning
+to solar energy?**"]
+        n32["
+        **How can small-scale solar energy users in unregulated markets
+        Verify product quality through digital tools or cooperative purchasing models?**"]
+        n33["**What is the relationship between solar
+        energy availability and civilian displacement
+        patterns in conflict-affected areas in the past decade?**"]
+        n34["**How does the volume and type of
+        construction waste generated vary by project
+        size and location, and what patterns can be
+        identified using publicly available datasets or site records?**"]
+        n35["**How have armed conflicts in the past
+        decade affected the deployment, capacity
+        utilization, and household consumption of
+        solar photovoltaic and small‐scale wind systems
+        in conflict‐affected communities?**"]
+        n36["**How can small-scale solar energy
+        users in unregulated markets verify product
+        quality through  digital tools or cooperative purchasing models?**"]
+        n4(["Actionable Research Question"])
+        n5["**How have armed conflicts in the past
+        decade affected the deployment, capacity utilization,
+        and household consumption of solar photovoltaic and
+        small‐scale wind systems in conflict‐affected communities?**"]
+  end
+    A --> B
+    B --> BA & BB & BC & BD
+    BA ~~~ C
+    BB ~~~ C
+    BC ~~~ C
+    BD ~~~ C
+    nn --> A
+    C --> D
+    D --> n1
+    n1 --> n2
+    n2 --> n3 & n31 & n32 & n33 & n34 & n35 & n36
+    n3 & n31 & n32 & n33 & n34 & n35 & n36 --> n4
+    n4 --> n5
+    style B fill:#C8E6C9
+    style A fill:#FFF9C4
+    style C fill:#C8E6C9
+    style n3 color:#000000
+    style n4 fill:#FFF9C4
+
+```
+
+## Our Actionable Research Question
+
+> _How have armed conflicts over the past 25 years
+affected the deployment, capacity utilization,
+and household consumption of solar photovoltaic systems in conflict‐affected communities?_
+
+## Constraints
+
+- Geographical and Seasonal Limitations
+  - Limited sunlight hours and seasonal variation in some regions
+- Financial Barriers
+  - High initial cost of solar panel installation
+- Infrastructure Challenges
+  - Lack of storage infrastructure (e.g. batteries)
+- Energy Access Disparities
+  - Uneven access to renewable energy across urban and rural areas
+- Time Constraints
+  - Time limit of 12 weeks for research
+- Knowledge Requirements
+  - Requires basic domain knowledge in climate science and energy policy
+
+## Project Scope
+
+- **Time Period:** 25 years
+- **Renewable Energy Theme:** Solar Energy
+
+  _Why Solar Energy?_
+
+  - **Fast & Flexible:** Easy to deploy, remove, and scale
+     — from single homes to entire camps.  
+  - **Off-Grid Ready:** Operates independently of central
+     power infrastructure.  
+  - **Data-Rich:** Ample data on solar use and conflict
+     impacts enables robust analysis.  
+  - **High Impact:** Enhances resilience, reduces emissions,
+     and improves daily life in conflict zones.
+
+- **Regions:** Syria, Iraq, Sudan, South Sudan, Palestine, Mali, Ethiopia,
+  Ukraine, Yemen, Libya, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Central African Republic,
+  Somalia,Pakistan, Mozambique and Myanmar (17 countries)

0_domain_study/understanding_of_problem_domain.md

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+# A Summary of Our Group's Understanding Of The Problem Domain
+
+## An overview of the problem statement using system's thinking
+
+### **Patterns & Trends**
+
+* Recurring blackouts: Power cuts occur not just once but in multiple waves
+as fighting flares up.
+* Geographically shifting outages: Different regions lose service as front lines
+move or specific plants are targeted.
+* Escalating repair delays: Each attack adds to a backlog of damage, so average downtime
+lengthens over months.
+* Rising reliance on alternatives: Households increasingly depend on kerosene lamps,
+car batteries, or small diesel generators.
+
+### Systemic Structures
+
+* Centralized generation model: National grid fed by a handful of large,
+vulnerable plants makes the entire system easy to disable.
+* Fragile supply chains: Imported transformers, turbines, and fuel must cross
+conflict checkpoints, causing chronic shortages.
+* Hazards and unsafe conditions make it difficult for repair teams
+to carry out their duties effectively.
+
+### Mental Models
+
+* Planners assume power must flow from big plants down to users, rather
+than through distributed networks.
+* Combatants view utilities as strategic assets and valid military targets.
+
+## Possible Solutions And Interventions
+
+1. **Distributed, modular generation**  
+   Deploy community‑scale solar and battery clusters that keep  
+   neighborhoods powered even when central plants are taken offline.
+
+2. **Local ownership and maintenance**  
+   Create citizen energy committees trained in basic maintenance  
+   and equipped to manage micro-grid systems independently.
+
+3. **Protect critical assets through local agreements**  
+   Establish “energy safe zones” via negotiated local agreements,  
+   supported by community monitors and neutral facilitators.
+
+4. **Integrate energy into humanitarian mandates**  
+   Recognize electricity as vital to health, education, and safety,  
+   and include energy access in emergency aid planning and funding.
+
+5. **Adapt financial models for conflict**  
+   Pre-position spare parts and fund mobile repair teams using  
+   flexible, multi‑year resilience-focused financing mechanisms.