Molly Ayala
Access to electricity is critical for economic growth, improved living standards, and quality healthcare provision. However, the lack of electricity supply affects over a billion people worldwide, with millions more receiving inadequate electricity supplies. This energy access gap has severe consequences for physical health, mental well-being, social inclusion, and development. It also impacts healthcare, food, education, and business, with disparities in electricity access within countries being particularly stark between urban and rural areas. This inequality is further exacerbated by the high costs of electricity services, frequent power outages, equipment malfunctions, and gaps in distribution networks.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| People without electricity access | 685 million (2022) |
| People without access to clean cooking fuels and technologies | 2.1 billion |
| People without access to electricity in 2020 | 733 million |
| People unable to use electricity | 1.18 billion |
| People lacking electricity access by 2030 | 660 million |
| People without electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa (2022) | 600 million |
| People served by healthcare facilities with no electricity access or unreliable electricity | 1 billion |
| People in low- and lower-middle-income countries without electricity access or with unreliable electricity | 1 billion |
| People with inadequate electricity supplies | Millions |
| People in developing countries | 1.5 billion (1998) |
| People in developing Asia without electricity access | 1 billion (2000) |
| People in South Asia without electricity access | 500 million (2000) |
| People in India without electricity access | Universal access achieved (2022) |
| People in Indonesia without electricity access | Universal access achieved (2022) |
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What You'll Learn
People in low-income countries
The lack of electricity in low-income countries has significant implications for healthcare, food, education, and business. For example, in Nigeria, hospitals have experienced "medical catastrophes" due to power outages, agricultural produce has gone to waste, and students have been forced to study in hot and stuffy conditions without air conditioning or fans. In low- and lower-middle-income countries, close to 1 billion people are served by healthcare facilities with unreliable electricity supplies or no access to electricity at all. This compromises the quality of healthcare provision, from delivering babies to managing emergencies such as heart attacks.
Furthermore, the lack of access to electricity in low-income countries contributes to indoor air pollution, as households rely on traditional cooking and heating methods that use solid fuels. This has serious health consequences, with 3.2 million premature deaths occurring each year due to indoor air pollution. While progress has been made in enhancing access to cleaner cooking fuels, with two-thirds of the world's population having access in 2020 compared to half in 2000, this issue remains prevalent in low-income countries.
The per capita electricity generation in low-income countries can be more than 100 times lower than in wealthy countries. For example, the average energy use in the United States far surpasses that of India, and is double that of China. This disparity highlights the significant inequalities that exist globally in terms of access to electricity and other energy sources.
To address the lack of electricity in low-income countries, international support and investments are crucial. Concessional finance can help lower the risk for private investors, while decentralized solutions such as solar mini-grids and stand-alone systems can provide electricity to remote areas. However, national governments must also play a role by implementing robust electrification plans and allocating capital to access projects. By working together, the international community can ensure that all countries have access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy.
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Healthcare facilities and patients
Access to electricity is critical for providing people with quality healthcare. It is required to power basic equipment such as lighting, communication devices, and refrigeration, as well as devices that measure vital signs like heartbeat and blood pressure. It is also essential for both routine and emergency procedures.
However, a significant number of healthcare facilities, particularly in low- and lower-middle-income countries, lack reliable access to electricity. A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that nearly 1 billion people in such countries are affected by unreliable or no electricity in healthcare facilities. This lack of access can have serious consequences, including higher rates of maternal death. For example, in Nigeria, a lack of electricity meant that mothers would have to give birth in darkness, an issue that has been addressed in over 600 clinics by solar power company d.light.
Sierra Leone is another country that has been significantly affected by unreliable power in healthcare facilities, with 38% of health facilities lacking access to electricity. This issue is compounded by high rates of neonatal, infant, and child mortality. However, through the Sierra Leone Healthcare Electrification project, six major hospitals now have solar power systems with batteries installed, providing reliable and affordable electricity.
Decentralized sustainable energy solutions, such as solar photovoltaic systems, have been proposed as cost-effective and rapidly deployable alternatives to central energy grids. These solutions can help improve environmental sustainability and build resilience in healthcare facilities in the face of climate change.
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Education and students
Energy poverty, or a lack of access to reliable energy sources, has a significant impact on education and students. It is estimated that 13% of the world's population, or around 940 million people, do not have access to electricity. This includes many households with children attending school and educational institutions themselves.
The effects of energy poverty on education are wide-ranging. Firstly, it reduces teaching resources and classroom materials. Teachers without electricity cannot make copies of assignments, connect to the internet to research activities or access online resources such as videos and multimedia sources for instruction. This results in students receiving a lower quality of education.
Secondly, energy poverty can deter well-trained and educated teachers from working in communities without access to electricity. The lack of electric lighting, computers, and other services makes it difficult for teachers to live and work in these areas, which may need their services the most. This further reduces the quality of education in these communities.
Thirdly, energy poverty can reduce the amount of time children spend in school. Students from areas lacking energy may be forced to help with household chores, such as collecting firewood or water, instead of attending classes or completing assignments. This was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many students were unable to access online classes due to a lack of electricity.
Finally, energy poverty can complicate the work of school staff and administrators. Without electricity, administrators must keep student records and grades manually on paper, rather than using reliable online systems. This can increase their workload and create inefficiencies in the management of student data.
Addressing energy poverty in education is crucial for ensuring equal access to quality education for all students. Initiatives such as providing solar power to schools and communities can help improve access to energy and enhance educational outcomes. Additionally, public-private partnerships and government initiatives can boost school electrification and digitalization, providing students and teachers with the necessary tools and resources for a modern education.
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Businesses and economic growth
A lack of electricity poses significant challenges for businesses and economic growth. Firstly, electricity is strongly correlated with economic development. Income and energy consumption are tightly linked, with higher-income countries consuming more energy per capita than lower-middle income countries. This relationship between energy access and income levels suggests that improving energy access can drive economic growth, particularly in low- and middle-income economies.
Secondly, electricity shortages have direct negative impacts on enterprises. Power outages disrupt manufacturing and production processes, causing productivity losses, increased production costs, and decreased investment. This, in turn, affects businesses' ability to expand operations, attract investments, and foster overall productivity and development, hindering economic growth. For example, storm-related outages in the United States are estimated to cost the American economy between $20 billion and $55 billion annually, with power outages costing American businesses around $150 billion every year.
Thirdly, electricity is essential for modern digital economies that rely on data and cloud-based operations. Even short-lived outages can result in significant monetary losses. Power outages can also impact supply chains, causing bottlenecks and disrupting just-in-time manufacturing processes. This can have profound implications for economic growth, particularly in regions with frequent or prolonged outages.
Furthermore, electricity access can impact employment and poverty alleviation. Relieving electricity constraints on job creation is critical for economic growth and poverty reduction. For instance, addressing electricity access issues in countries with large underemployed youth populations, such as Nigeria, can help millions escape poverty and build a more stable and prosperous future.
Lastly, the lack of electricity affects certain industries and sectors more than others. For instance, rural electrification may not significantly impact household incomes among the extreme poor, while industries such as manufacturing, commerce, and digital services are more vulnerable to power outages due to their reliance on electricity for operations.
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Cooking and health
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), household air pollution from cooking smoke leads to approximately 3.7 to 3.8 million premature deaths annually. This issue is especially prevalent in developing countries, where over 2 billion people lack access to clean cooking facilities. In Sub-Saharan Africa, only about 17% of the population has access to clean cooking methods, and the number of people without access is rising due to population growth. Similarly, in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, only 11% of the population has access to clean cooking.
To address this issue, the WHO and other organizations have prioritized making clean cooking facilities universally available and affordable. Clean cooking methods include the use of electricity, liquid petroleum gas (LPG), piped natural gas (PNG), biogas, alcohol, and solar heat. Electric induction stoves, in particular, are highly efficient, producing less pollution than LPG even when connected to coal power sources. They can be cheaper and are becoming more attractive as the cost of electric appliances declines. Additionally, improved cookstoves, while not always meeting clean cooking standards, are more fuel-efficient and reduce the negative health impacts of toxic smoke exposure. They also reduce fuel needs and deforestation.
The transition to clean cooking is critical not only for health but also for environmental sustainability and gender equality. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that investing approximately USD 8 billion annually in cleaner cooking technologies could avert 2.5 million premature deaths, create 1.5 million jobs, and significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This investment is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 target for universal access to clean cooking and net-zero ambitions.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2022, 685 million people are living without electricity, and 2.1 billion people rely on damaging cooking fuels.
They are mostly in low-income countries, such as those in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
A lack of electricity has huge implications for health, gender equality, and the environment, contributing to 3.2 million premature deaths each year. It also affects healthcare, food, education, and business.
The World Bank has committed to providing electricity to an additional 300 million people by 2030, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) is working towards universal access to electricity by the same year.
The main challenge is the high cost of investment, which is estimated at USD 50 million per year. There are also challenges in addressing affordability issues and implementing effective electrification plans.
