Background

In India, a major challenge people, particularly residents of urban informal settlements, face is limited access to clean, affordable energy. A considerable percentage of low-income households rely on traditional fuels such as kerosene, firewood, and charcoal to meet their daily energy needs. According to the International Energy Agency, households in India rely heavily on polluting fuels for cooking, leading to increased environmental degradation and economic burdens. The already vulnerable communities are further burdened by the heavy use of such fuels, which are not only inefficient but also expensive. 

The World Health Organization continues to emphasize the harmful effects on human health and the environment of all forms of fuel, including, but not limited to, the health hazards associated with air pollution from solid fuels. It has been determined that, due to the use of fossil and biomass fuels, inhaling pollutants from indoor cooking is a major contributor to respiratory disease, especially for women and children, who spend considerably more time in these dangerous environments than men do. Additionally, as the quantities of fossil and biomass fuels consumed increase, so do carbon emissions, thereby increasing the likelihood of climate-related disasters in densely populated areas.

While the world is increasingly emphasizing renewable energy sources, socioeconomically disadvantaged communities struggle to adopt cleaner alternatives due to limited access to biofuels. A combination of several factors has led to restricting access to a sustainable energy solution: lack of awareness, limited supply chains, concerns about affordability, and insufficient policy reach. As indicated in a report by NITI Aayog, while new technologies are critical to expanding access to sustainable energy, additional community awareness initiatives and the creation of an inclusive distribution system will also be necessary to increase access to and use of sustainable energy sources. To achieve the goal of moving toward cleaner energy sources, each of these solutions should be designed to make them available to society as a whole in an equitable and sustainable way.