2nd International Conference of Sustainable Energy Development 2019 "CIDES"

2nd International Conference of Sustainable Energy Development 2019

CIDES

From Europe to Mexico: adapting prevailing metrics of energy affordability to assess Mexican energy poverty

Abstract

Access to energy services is determinant for household’s development; hence, it is also a source of inequality. A household’s economy is aggravated when encountering energy affordability constrains such as the replacement of modern but more expensive fuels for less expensive or freely available ones, budget sacrifices on their basic basket choices, and in some cases, even falling into debt trying to fulfil all their energy and non-energy needs, which consequently leads to energy poverty. This paper starts by reviewing the energy poverty literature on metrics, conceptualisations, and the use of indicators. It then focuses on transferring prevailing expenditure-based approaches from Europe to calculate the energy poverty ratio of Mexican households, applying the metrics 2M, M/2 exp. and LIHC. Most importantly, it proposes a new Low-income Low-Cost (LILC) metric, with the purpose of recognizing household’s mistaken energy poverty due to energy-efficient buildings. It further captures the most relevant drivers through a logit analysis and defines the required investment to tackle energy poverty. This paper seeks to retrieve existent underutilized literature and measurement approaches from Latin American countries, and transfer new insights applying European metrics to non-European context.

Resumen

Access to energy services is determinant for household’s development; hence, it is also a source of inequality. A household’s economy is aggravated when encountering energy affordability constrains such as the replacement of modern but more expensive fuels for less expensive or freely available ones, budget sacrifices on their basic basket choices, and in some cases, even falling into debt trying to fulfil all their energy and non-energy needs, which consequently leads to energy poverty. This paper starts by reviewing the energy poverty literature on metrics, conceptualisations, and the use of indicators. It then focuses on transferring prevailing expenditure-based approaches from Europe to calculate the energy poverty ratio of Mexican households, applying the metrics 2M, M/2 exp. and LIHC. Most importantly, it proposes a new Low-income Low-Cost (LILC) metric, with the purpose of recognizing household’s mistaken energy poverty due to energy-efficient buildings. It further captures the most relevant drivers through a logit analysis and defines the required investment to tackle energy poverty. This paper seeks to retrieve existent underutilized literature and measurement approaches from Latin American countries, and transfer new insights applying European metrics to non-European context.

About The Speaker

Dulce María Silva de la Torre

MsC. Dulce María Silva de la Torre

Flag of Mexico
Practical Info
Presentation
Not defined
15 minutes
Not defined
Authors
MsC. Dulce María Silva de la Torre
Harriet Thomson
Keywords
Affordability
Energy Poverty
Energy Services
Expenditure
Indicators
Low-income Low-cost