Energy Safety Nets: Using Social Assistance Mechanisms to Close Affordability Gaps for the Poor

This report synthesizes lessons from six country case studies to provide recommendations for designing 'Energy Safety Nets'—social assistance mechanisms intended to ensure the poorest populations can afford both the initial connection to and the ongoing consumption of modern energy services to meet SDG7 goals by 2030.

• Effective Energy Safety Nets require distinct strategies for initial energy connections (such as transformers and LPG stoves) versus ongoing consumption costs (such as monthly bills). The effectiveness of these initiatives depends on the type of subsidy and the delivery mechanism, which must be targeted to specific groups and account for gender-specific energy needs.
• Policymakers are currently hindered by a lack of disaggregated data on energy consumption levels within vulnerable households, specifically by sex. Utilizing tools like Multi-Tier Framework surveys to collect more specific data on the needs of the poor would improve program efficiency and design.
• The success of Energy Safety Nets relies on strong, multi-year political commitment and national pledges. To move beyond simple connection targets and ensure essential consumption levels, these pledges must be supported by policy commitments to social assistance for disadvantaged groups.

APA

Sustainable Energy for All (2020). Energy Safety Nets: Using Social Assistance Mechanisms to Close Affordability Gaps for the Poor. https://www.seforall.org/publications/energy-safety-nets-using-social-assistance-mechanisms

Chicago

Sustainable Energy for All. Energy Safety Nets: Using Social Assistance Mechanisms to Close Affordability Gaps for the Poor. 2020. https://www.seforall.org/publications/energy-safety-nets-using-social-assistance-mechanisms.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Sustainable Energy for All |title=Energy Safety Nets: Using Social Assistance Mechanisms to Close Affordability Gaps for the Poor |date=18 February 2020 |url=https://www.seforall.org/publications/energy-safety-nets-using-social-assistance-mechanisms |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{sustainableenergyforall2020energy, author = {{Sustainable Energy for All}}, title = {{Energy Safety Nets: Using Social Assistance Mechanisms to Close Affordability Gaps for the Poor}}, institution = {Sustainable Energy for All}, year = {2020}, month = feb, url = {https://www.seforall.org/publications/energy-safety-nets-using-social-assistance-mechanisms}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }