<
https://theconversation.com/why-cheaper-power-alone-isnt-enough-to-end-energy-poverty-in-summer-274963>
"Australia is an energy superpower. We have abundant natural resources, high
average incomes and one of the highest per-capita rates of rooftop solar uptake
in the world.
Yet every summer, many households across the country skimp on cooling, fear
their next energy bill, or risk disconnection during extreme heat. Economists
call this phenomenon “summer energy poverty” which can force households to make
impossible choices between staying cool or putting food on the table.
Australia’s January heatwave broke multiple temperature records and led to
significant spikes in emergency room visits. Climate change means such extreme
weather events are likely to become more common in future.
Energy stress is often framed as an affordability problem, driven by
electricity prices that are too high or incomes that are too low. But it both
reflects and drives wider social and economic inequality, extending well beyond
the simple cost of power bills.
Our research shows key drivers of energy stress are differences in wealth, a
lack of emergency savings and whether people are renters. This is the case even
comparing people with similar income."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
