Research Publications

Our understanding of energy poverty within the United States relies on a combination of data sources that when pieced together, offer a fragmented snapshot of household energy needs. While tools exist to calculate measures such as household energy burden, we lack an empirical approach to evaluate the scope and depth of energy poverty across the U.S.. The unpreceded funding levels available for home energy improvements present a pivotal moment to address the cumulative burdens faced by energy insecure communities. Against this backdrop, we introduce a national framework to guide target investments and establish a foundation for treating the underlying conditions of household energy poverty. This paper introduces the Department of Energy’s effort to develop a national energy poverty framework alongside initial baseline estimates. Drawing on existing activities across Europe, we highlight the key elements of a new framework within the United States. We explore the merits of adapting a new model to measure energy poverty and the broader implications on how household energy insecurity is conceptualized today.