Energy poverty touches every aspect of daily life—undermining human health, limiting education, suppressing economic opportunity, and deepening gender inequality.

• Health: Without electricity, families rely on polluting fuels like charcoal or wood for cooking and heating, leading to chronic respiratory diseases, eye irritation, and premature death. Lack of electricity also affects communities’ ability to pump clean water and avoid waterborne disease.
• Education: Without lighting, students struggle to complete homework or study after sunset. Schools without electricity cannot power computers, internet, or other digital learning tools. 
• Economic Opportunity: Energy access is the backbone of productivity. Without it, entrepreneurs can’t power tools or access business resources—stalling local development.
• Gender Equality: In many off-grid communities, women and girls bear the burden of gathering firewood and hauling water—time-consuming tasks that reinforce cycles of poverty. Access to energy frees up time for education, leadership, and economic participation.

These are just several ways that lack of electricity reinforces poverty.

Energy poverty is tracked through several indices, including:

• Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index (MEPI) – Measures deprivation in energy services like lighting, refrigeration, communication, and clean cooking.
• Energy Development Index (EDI) – Developed by the International Energy Agency (IEA) to assess progress in modern energy access.
• Energy Poverty Index (EPI) – Used in both developed and developing contexts to measure affordability, adequacy, and energy burden.

Some countries also track energy burden (the percentage of household income spent on energy) or whether homes can be kept adequately warm or cool.

Energy poverty exists across countries and demographics, but it’s rural and low-income communities that experience the highest rates of energy poverty. 

Energy poverty is significantly less common in wealthy nations, where, at a minimum, most homes and institutions are connected to a functioning electricity source. In low-income countries, we see a very different story in which the power grid only services a portion of the population. Energy poverty is most prevalent in Africa, where more than a dozen countries have electrification rates under 20%. 

Within these under-electrified countries, patterns emerge across urban-rural lines. Urban centers typically have some kind of power grid, but extending this grid to rural areas can be prohibitively expensive or logistically challenging. Some of these rural households might be able to afford standalone energy sources, such as a generator. More often, families go without.

At the Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), we believe energy is a human right. Our mission is to bring solar power to the millions of people who still live without electricity—most of whom live in rural, off-grid communities.

We design and implement solar energy solutions that:

• Power homes, health clinics, schools, farms, and other vital infrastructure
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help communities adapt to a changing climate
• Empower communities to operate and maintain their own solar energy systems

Through these initiatives, we turn the tide on energy poverty—building healthier, more resilient communities and giving people the power to thrive.

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What is energy poverty? Energy poverty is defined as the lack of access to safe, reliable, and affordable energy. 

How is energy poverty measured? Energy poverty is measured using tools like the MEPI, EDI, and EPI, which consider factors like electricity access, cooking fuel type, and energy spending relative to income.

Why is energy poverty a global issue? Energy poverty is a global issue because energy is a foundation for health, education, and economic opportunity. Without access to energy, people are trapped in cycles of poverty and inequality.

What are examples of energy poverty in daily life? Examples of energy poverty include living without housing lighting, relying on fuels like firewood for cooking, or walking long distances to access water. 

How can solar power reduce energy poverty? Solar power provides clean, reliable energy for off-grid communities—supporting health, education, agriculture, and local business.

Take Action. Want to help end energy poverty?

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