ABSTRACT
In Slovakia, energy poverty varies significantly from one region to another. Following the post-communist transition, Slovakian regions did not all follow similar paths of economic transformation. While some regions have been able to attract foreign investment, others have suffered from economic decline and from emigration toward wealthier regions. The resulting income inequalities combine with local climate conditions and lead to important regional energy poverty variations. The present chapter analyzes the dimensions along which Slovakian regions differ. Besides incomes and climate, these include the age structure of the population and the presence of Roma people, who often live in segregated settlements and under conditions of extreme poverty. While the cost of energy and investment in insulation or in energy-saving household equipment do not differ significantly across the country, regional income disparities result in a higher vulnerability of certain areas to energy poverty. The main argument of this chapter is therefore that analyzing energy poverty only at the – aggregate – level of the country is insufficient. As shown by the example of Slovakia, energy poverty needs to be analyzed for smaller – for example regional – areas. We contend that to address energy poverty in a more efficient manner public policy would need to consider these differences.
