Toward Universal Energy Access: The Energy Market System Framework

Abstract

Building on the concept of the energy access ecosystem, this paper presents the Energy Market System Framework recently developed by Practical Action to facilitate sustainable energy market creation for improved access to modern energy services in areas of energy poverty. Energy access and energy poverty have been identified as major global challenges to overcoming global poverty and socioeconomic inequality. These challenges relate not to the unavailability of technology but rather to its inaccessibility. These are therefore issues of technology justice, which lies at core of Practical Action’s work. In efforts to address these challenges, the Energy Market System Framework, versions of which have been trialed in Thailand, Malawi, Nepal, and Rwanda, maps and designs specific energy market systems to expand energy access to more and poorer people. The approach begins with an analysis of energy market chains, followed by an analysis of national-level policy, capacity, and finance dimensions. The framework enables identification of pathways for action toward achieving universal energy access and technology justice in energy provision. This paper outlines the functionality of the Energy Market System Framework, which recognizes a range of energy services as well as multiple levels within each energy market system that collectively can deliver total energy access using a mix of energy sources and a range of technologies.