Energy Access for the Ultra-Poor in Malawi

The study examines energy poverty in Malawi, finding that unconditional social cash transfers significantly increase the likelihood of ultra-poor households owning improved cookstoves and having a source of lighting.

• In 2017, energy poverty was extreme among Malawi's rural population, with approximately 95% lacking electricity access and over 95% relying on solid fuels such as charcoal, firewood, and crop residues for cooking.
• Unconditional social cash transfers improved energy access for the ultra-poor, specifically by significantly reducing the odds of households having no lighting and making them more than three times more likely to own an improved cookstove compared to non-recipients.
• Global energy transitions often overlook the chronically poor and those in remote or 'last mile' settings because these populations are frequently ignored in government policy and may be unable to afford energy services.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2021). Energy Access for the Ultra-Poor in Malawi. https://www.sei.org/publications/energy-access-ultra-poor-malawi/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Energy Access for the Ultra-Poor in Malawi. 2021. https://www.sei.org/publications/energy-access-ultra-poor-malawi/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Energy Access for the Ultra-Poor in Malawi |date=4 January 2021 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/energy-access-ultra-poor-malawi/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2021energy, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Energy Access for the Ultra-Poor in Malawi}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2021}, month = jan, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/energy-access-ultra-poor-malawi/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }