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Per capita energy consumption varies more than 10-fold across the world

In the map we see differences in per capita energy use; this is inclusive of all dimensions of energy (electricity plus transport and heating). There are several important points to note. Firstly, there are large inequalities in energy consumption between countries. The average US citizen still consumes more than ten times the energy of the… Continue reading Per capita energy consumption varies more than 10-fold across the world

How does access to electricity affect people’s lives?

Free electricity connections in rural South African households changed home production technologies and induced more women to work in the market There has been considerable progress in the last two decades towards the UN’s 7th Sustainable Development Goal (SDG7): “access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all by 2030”. Since 2000, the share… Continue reading How does access to electricity affect people’s lives?

The number of people without access to electricity by region and country

In the chart we see the total number of people without access to electricity, grouped by world region. Here we see a regional shift in electricity access over the past few decades: in 1990, nearly half (45 percent) of people in the world without access lived in South Asia. By 2016 this had shifted significantly:… Continue reading The number of people without access to electricity by region and country

How electricity changes lives: a Rwandan case study

More than 1.1 billion people in developing countries lack access to electricity. Some 590 million live in Africa, where the rural electriﬁcation rate is particularly low at only 14 per cent. A lack of access to electricity hampers development. It affects everything from people’s ability to learn to the creation of enterprises and the provision… Continue reading How electricity changes lives: a Rwandan case study