European and US approaches to energy poverty: Classifying and evaluating design strategies

P. Heller, T. Schittekatte, R. Barrella, P. Mastropietro, C. Batlle

Utilities Policy Vol. 97, pp. 102059

Summary:

As climate change accelerates and recent health, energy, and inflation crises exacerbate broader inequality trends, ensuring adequate and affordable access to energy services is becoming increasingly important. In this paper, we conduct an in-depth review of energy poverty policy and program design in Europe and the United States. We classify and evaluate different approaches according to four categories of policy choices: assistance, targeting, funding, and governance. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the approaches adopted in both contexts, extract key lessons, and provide recommendations to improve the effectiveness of energy assistance policies. The taxonomy presented here is not intended as a tool for evaluating program effectiveness. Instead, it is meant to help us understand how specific design decisions may impact program outcomes.

Spanish layman's summary:

Este artículo presenta un análisis en profundidad de las políticas y programas contra la pobreza energética en Europa y Estados Unidos, que se clasifican en cuatro categorías de opciones políticas: asistencia, orientación, financiación y gobernanza.

English layman's summary:

This article presents an in-depth review of energy poverty policies and programs in Europe and the United States, which are classified according to four categories of policy choices: assistance, targeting, funding, and governance.

Keywords: Energy povertyEnergy assistance programsEnergy insecurityAffordability

JCR-JIF Impact Factor and WoS quartile: 4,900 - Q2 (2025)

DOI reference: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jup.2025.102059

Published on paper: December 2025.

Published on-line: September 2025.

Citation:
P. Heller, T. Schittekatte, R. Barrella, P. Mastropietro, C. Batlle, "European and US approaches to energy poverty: Classifying and evaluating design strategies", Utilities Policy, Vol. 97, pp. 102059, December 2025. [Online: September 2025] doi: 10.1016/j.jup.2025.102059