The road out of energy poverty

The ultimate cost of energy poverty is far greater than what it takes to provide continuous power to all through an efficient and transparent ecosystem

India is home to 18 per cent of the world’s population. However, its energy consumption is a meagre 6 per cent, with per capita consumption at 1,122 kWh mark — or a third of the world average and the lowest among BRICS —during fiscal 2017.

Almost a fifth of the population lives in abject poverty, or below poverty line, with no access to electricity. Low demand and poor access to ‘energy’ — which includes electricity, cooking fuel etc — have meant chronic under-consumption.

Such ‘energy poverty’ has, apart from  its socio-economic impact, a bearing on the environment, too, as it leads to