Household level multidimensional energy poverty and its determinants: Evidence from tea estates in Bangladesh.

Abstract

Access to reliable energy is crucial for sustainable livelihood improvements across various dimensions, fostering economic growth. Therefore, addressing energy poverty becomes imperative. This paper aims to estimate the extent of multidimensional energy poverty and its determinants in the tea estates of the Moulvibazar district, Bangladesh. Primary data was collected from 382 tea workers at the Chatlapore tea estate using a multistage random sampling technique. The Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index (MEPI) and the Tobit regression were employed for data analysis. Results indicate a 51% multidimensional energy poverty rate in the study area, with cooking as the most significant contributor. The Tobit model reveals that social and economic factors significantly influence multidimensional energy poverty. Education, occupation, gender, family size, land ownership, access to improved housing, and household earnings are critical determinants. Enhancing household socio-economic status emerges as a key solution to address multidimensional energy poverty. Policies targeting housing improvement, subsidizing and expanding education, and awareness rising on clean energy access, can effectively mitigate multidimensional energy poverty effectively.