In the spirit of the energy reconversion that half the world is about to undergo in the next decade or so, I thought it appropriate to post some of the sobering slides produced by the International Energy Agency which suggest a completely different perspective for the world’s energy poor.
The takeaways are that (1) the number of people who will be denied electricity access and who will rely mostly on biomass to meet their energy needs will grow in the future and, (2) this great disparity will continue to be most evident between rural and urban zones.
Per Capita Energy Consumption:
Number of people without electricity, 2008 - 2030
Per Capita primary energy demand, 2030
The Transition to Modern Energy Services
Share of traditional Biomass in Residential Consumption, 2005
Energy Development Steps
Outlook for number of people relying on traditional biomass for cooking
Implications of Energy Poverty on Health and the Environment
Energy Poverty & Health: Annual deaths from indoor air pollution compare to other diseases
Energy Poverty & Women: Distance travelled to Collect fuelwood