Energy services for refugees and displaced people

- As many as 7 million displaced people in camps have access to electricity for less than 4 h a day.
- Energy expenditure for cooking and lighting by displaced people is estimated to be around $200 per year per household.
- Longer-term funding and delivery models for energy provision in humanitarian relief contexts are required.
- Introducing improved cookstoves and solar lanterns could save $303 m annually in fuel costs after an investment of $334 m.
- A systematic approach to collecting data is needed to tailor appropriate and lasting energy solutions for refugees.

The current literature on energy access highlights energy deprivation on a regional or country basis, but frequently neglects those outside of national energy agendas such as refugees and displaced people. To fill this gap and to help inform future analysis, this paper presents an end-use accounting model for energy consumption for cooking and lighting by displaced populations. We present initial estimates for the overall scale of energy poverty and three high-level scenarios for improving access to energy for cooking and lighting. Key findings suggest that as many as 7 million displaced people in camps have access to electricity for less than 4 h a day and that the widespread introduction of improved cookstoves and basic solar lanterns could save $303 million a year in fuel costs after an initial capital investment of $334 million. We conclude that there is a strong human, economic, and environmental case to be made for improving energy access for refugees and displaced people, and for recognising energy as a core concern within humanitarian relief efforts.