Energy poverty, also known as fuel poverty is one of most persistent problem for households in developing countries. According to very conservative estimates, around 1 billion people in world, most of them from South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, can be classified as energy poor, due to poor energy access to conventional energy sources like electricity and natural gas. Officially (according to DFID, UK), a household can be classified as an energy poor dwelling if they are spending more than 10% of their household income on energy sources.
Our recent survey completed in rural communities of Pakistan shows that, unfortunately, not a single household at any household income level (whether rich or poor) are spending less than 10% of their household income on energy sources. More precisely, in lowest income households this figure is on average is as high as 58%, in lower income households it is 30%, in middle income households it is 24%, in upper middle income households it is 19.8% and in upper income households, it is 14%.
Research in this particular area is in its way, which shall help us to understand precisely, which particular energy source possess the highest levels of energy poverty for any particular household at a given income level. More specifically, energy sources shall be assessed on the base of their inconvenience factors borne by rural households.
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