Let’s talk about Energy poverty

I’d like to talk about poverty today—not just any kind, but energy poverty. It’s a problem that can affect anyone, even if we don’t always realize it. In Slovakia, this issue is very real and impacts thousands of households, yet we haven’t paid enough attention to it. So, what is it?

Imagine paying your electricity and heating bills, and after that, you’re left with barely enough money for basic necessities. That’s energy poverty. It’s when a household can’t afford essential energy services, like heating or electricity, without having to cut back on other vital expenses.

In Slovakia, energy poverty primarily affects rural households and larger families—especially those with more than five members. However, the situation has yet to be thoroughly mapped out.

Here are a few examples to help you picture it:

• An elderly woman living alone in a small family house: Her home hasn’t had any significant renovations for years. It’s hard to heat, and the heat escapes through poorly insulated walls and windows. This means higher heating bills. She can’t afford to upgrade the insulation or replace the windows because most of her pension goes toward paying for energy that just leaks out of her home.
• A family with four children: They live in an older family home in a medium-sized town. Since their income isn’t high, they have to save as much as possible on energy. In winter, they often keep the heating at a bare minimum, which leads to their children getting sick frequently. They also keep postponing much-needed roof renovations that would lower their heating costs.
• A young couple with a low income: Even though they live in the city, their old apartment has poorly insulated windows, and heating is expensive. They try to save by heating only one room and, because they work shifts, sometimes spend evenings in the dark to avoid using electricity.

If you notice that someone in your surroundings is regularly cutting back on energy more than seems reasonable—like keeping their home at a low temperature even during winter, cooking less often, or using only basic lighting—it could be a sign they are experiencing energy poverty.

Currently, there is no targeted government support in Slovakia to address energy poverty, meaning many families who struggle to pay their energy bills remain without assistance. The government has not yet introduced specific measures to alleviate this issue, though there are proposals for mechanisms that could help. These proposals include financial aid for home renovations to improve energy efficiency, or loan programs that would allow families to better manage their energy payments.

While the state has yet to act, you as an individual can contribute by raising awareness about this problem. Many households may not even know they could benefit from energy-saving technologies or financial tools, if they were available. You can get involved in local initiatives that highlight energy poverty or support proposals that aim to create these mechanisms. Additionally, you can help by spreading information on energy-saving practices, which can help households reduce their energy costs.

Why Is It Important to Talk About Energy Poverty?

Raising awareness in society can help address this issue more effectively and in a timely manner. Energy poverty doesn’t just mean higher gas and electricity bills—it also has serious effects on health, quality of life, and overall well-being. So, even if energy poverty may seem like an abstract concept, it affects real people, and each of us can contribute to finding solutions.

If this topic has caught your eye, feel free to dive deeper into studies from the Institute of Forecasting of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV). Disclaimer: My colleague is an expert on energy poverty. I only did the design and checked typos for her. 🙂 But while reading and researching, i find this topic important enough to share awareness.

But on a more serious note, energy poverty is no joke. It doesn’t get much attention because it’s a tricky combo of low income and inefficient homes. To really tackle it, we need to give focused, targeted support to both sides of the issue, so that any help actually makes a difference!

Read this text in slovak: Čo si predstavíte pod pojmom “energetická chudoba”?