Introduction

Globally, around 2.8 billion people (the “Other Third” or “Energy Poor” [EP]) have little or no access to beneficial energy to meet their basic human needs, including cooking, heating, water, sanitation, illumination, transportation, and basic mechanical power (World Bank 2014). This dearth of energy affects their households, their chances of making a living whether by way of agriculture, industry, or crafts, and the hospitals and schools serving their communities. More than 95 percent of the Energy Poor live either in sub-Saharan Africa or developing Asia, predominantly (84 percent) in rural areas (International Energy Agency 2014).