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Recognition of and Response to Energy Poverty: Measurement, Policies and...
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Recognition of and Response to Energy Poverty: Measurement, Policies and Measures

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "C: Energy Economics and Policy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2024 | Viewed by 2762

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Dimitris Damigos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Lab of Mining Engineering and Environmental Engineering, School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), 15772 Athens, Greece
Interests: environmental economics; energy economics; mineral economics; financial and cost‒benefit analysis; environmental management; sustainable development
Dr. Sebastian Mirasgedis

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Environmental Research and Sustainable Development, National Observatory of Athens, I. Metaxas and Vas. Pavlou, 15236 Penteli, Greece
Interests: energy system simulation; energy forecasts; energy policy evaluation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Energy poverty has emerged in recent years as one of the biggest social problems worldwide. Bouzarovski and Petrova (2015) define energy poverty as “the inability to attain a socially and materially necessitated level of energy services”.

For the poorest segment of the population in low- and middle-income developing countries, it mainly concerns the lack of connection to electricity and the use of solid fuels and biomass for cooking. For developed countries, and parts of the population in developing countries, it is mainly related to unaffordable prices of fuel and energy services, which, in combination with poor housing, result in inadequate indoor conditions, such as low temperature and excess humidity in winter and high temperature in summer, poor indoor air quality, etc. In any case, living in energy poverty is associated with significant adverse consequences that range from social exclusion and disruption of social cohesion to degradation of the quality of life and severe impacts on public health.

The objective of this Special Issue is to systematically investigate energy poverty as a multidimensional social problem. Specifically, the papers that will be included aim to (i) present new and existing methodologies for measuring energy poverty and the vulnerability of households as well as identifying energy poor households, (ii) quantify, in physical and monetary terms, the various impacts of energy poverty, including the impact on public health, and (iii) highlight good practices aiming at addressing the problem and propose policies and measures for tackling energy poverty at local scale.

Prof. Dr. Dimitris Damigos
Dr. Sebastian Mirasgedis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • energy poverty
  • energy access
  • energy policies
  • energy poverty indicators
  • housing comfort
  • housing efficiency

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 627 KiB  
Article
Understanding Energy Poverty among the Elderly: Insights from a Household Survey in Greece
by Eleni Sardianou
Energies 2024, 17(1), 94; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en17010094 - 23 Dec 2023
Viewed by 809
Abstract
Understanding the determinants of energy poverty among the elderly is crucial for shaping energy policies with significant economic and social implications. This research provides valuable insights into the factors influencing energy poverty among the elderly in Greece. To achieve the study’s objectives, household [...] Read more.
Understanding the determinants of energy poverty among the elderly is crucial for shaping energy policies with significant economic and social implications. This research provides valuable insights into the factors influencing energy poverty among the elderly in Greece. To achieve the study’s objectives, household survey data from 3651 elderly individuals for the year 2022 were utilized. The empirical findings, based on statistical and econometric analysis, affirm the influence of socioeconomic factors on the ability of the elderly to meet their energy needs and address energy poverty challenges. The analysis suggests that both household size and work-related pensions positively impact their ability to address their heating requirements. Elderly individuals with a higher level of education are less likely to experience energy poverty. Additionally, it is found that as perceived health status declines, elderly individuals are more likely to encounter difficulties in covering utility payments. These results underscore the importance of tailoring strategies to promote the adoption of energy poverty measures that cater to diverse demographic and income groups. This information is vital for ensuring that the elderly can afford to maintain a comfortable living environment without sacrificing other essential needs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recognition of and Response to Energy Poverty: Measurement, Policies and Measures)
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15 pages, 294 KiB  
Article
The Energy Poverty Status of Off-Grid Rural Households: A Case of the Upper Blinkwater Community in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
by Mahali Elizabeth Lesala, Ngwarai Shambira, Golden Makaka and Patrick Mukumba
Energies 2023, 16(23), 7772; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16237772 - 25 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 743
Abstract
This paper analyses the energy poverty status in off-grid rural households and its underlying socioeconomic factors. Employing the Foster–Greer–Thorbecke Technique and Probit regression on data from 53 households, the study uncovers a diverse array of energy sources in use, including firewood, paraffin, LPG, [...] Read more.
This paper analyses the energy poverty status in off-grid rural households and its underlying socioeconomic factors. Employing the Foster–Greer–Thorbecke Technique and Probit regression on data from 53 households, the study uncovers a diverse array of energy sources in use, including firewood, paraffin, LPG, candles, and generators. Despite this energy source diversity, the poverty line threshold, as measured by the per capita energy expenditure line (92.40 ZAR) (1 US Dollar = ZAR 18.20), reveals the prevalence of energy poverty. Approximately 15% of respondents are experiencing severe energy poverty and 22% are facing moderate vulnerability to energy poverty, while over 50% are not energy poor. This indicates that, although they may lack access to electricity, their energy usage and expenditure in other forms might still be sufficient to meet their basic energy needs. This distinction highlights the importance of assessing energy poverty, extending beyond a simplistic assessment of absolute poverty but taking into account the dynamic nature of income levels. Gender, household size, formal education, and social grants emerge as key indicators shaping the energy landscape in the area. The results clearly indicate that male-headed households and larger households are less susceptible to energy poverty, while increasing formal education and social grants increases the risk of households being exposed to energy poverty. These findings suggest that the problem of energy poverty in the area is uniquely linked to social, economic, and cultural issues. Therefore, interventions targeted at addressing energy poverty problems must address the underlying social, economic, and cultural factors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recognition of and Response to Energy Poverty: Measurement, Policies and Measures)
25 pages, 1340 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Impact of Shallow Renovation on Energy Poverty: A Primary Data Study
by Roberto Barrella, José Carlos Romero, Almudena Laguillo and Ester Sevilla
Energies 2023, 16(21), 7237; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/en16217237 - 24 Oct 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 853
Abstract
One of the main identified causes of energy poverty (EP) is the low energy efficiency of housing. In this line, since 2018, public administrations and NGOs collaborating with the Naturgy Foundation’s Energy Renovation Solidarity Fund have implemented several shallow renovation interventions in 3660 [...] Read more.
One of the main identified causes of energy poverty (EP) is the low energy efficiency of housing. In this line, since 2018, public administrations and NGOs collaborating with the Naturgy Foundation’s Energy Renovation Solidarity Fund have implemented several shallow renovation interventions in 3660 Spanish vulnerable households. However, the effects of these measures on domestic energy affordability were not evaluated before because of a lack of a proper method. This paper presents a methodology to objectively assess the impact of these interventions on EP. In particular, this work proposes calculating a hidden EP indicator using data from a primary survey and applies it to a local case study (54 vulnerable households in Catalonia—10% of dwellings renovated by the Fund in the region) by processing their characteristics and energy bills before and after the implementation of the interventions. Considering the whole sample of households analysed, the hidden EP indicator drops by 10% in absolute terms (11.2% in relative terms) after the retrofit, and the average EP gap goes from 423 €/year to 313 €/year, thus marking a significant positive effect of the analysed interventions on the EP situation of this population. Eventually, extrapolating the results to the vulnerable population in Spain, this paper points out a series of recommendations that could be useful for decision-makers and organisations when designing and implementing shallow renovation interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recognition of and Response to Energy Poverty: Measurement, Policies and Measures)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Shared PV self-consumption solutions for addressing energy poverty at municipal level
Authors: Mr. Amir Jabbari Torkamani; Dr. Helena Martín; Dr. Jordi de la Hoz
Affiliation: Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), Spain
Abstract: This contribution analyzes the use of shared PV self-consumption solutions for addressing the energy poverty issue at municipal level. A real case study illustrates the benefits and also the constraints of that approach, considering the involved social and techno-economic aspects of these solutions.

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