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Sustainability
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Tackling Energy Poverty and Vulnerability Through Energy Efficiency
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Tackling Energy Poverty and Vulnerability Through Energy Efficiency

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 1828

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Oikonomou Vlasios

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for European Energy and Climate Policy, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Interests: energy poverty; energy efficiency
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Eichhammer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, Utrecht University, 3584 CB Utrecht, The Netherlands
Interests: energy efficiency; energy policy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Energy poverty affects numerous households and micro-enterprises across Europe, characterized by the inability to afford adequate domestic energy services. This is commonly assessed through key indicators such as the inability to keep homes adequately warm, arrears on utility bills, poor dwelling conditions, and the at-risk-of-poverty rate.

Such conditions are especially exacerbated in countries with lower median incomes and higher unemployment rates, which, coupled with inadequate housing conditions, further worsen the vulnerability of affected populations. These conditions require research on their updating and introduction of new indicators to measure energy poverty and their embedding of the multiple benefits of energy efficiency. To effectively tackle energy poverty and improve energy efficiency, this Special Issue addresses good practices in energy efficiency for alleviating energy poverty and compares them with income-support-related practices, while monitoring their respective dimensions. This issue, therefore, expands our understanding of poverty from a strict social issue to a broader economic and energy-related one. This Special Issue will contribute to the policy discussion in the EU and beyond on how structural solutions (such as energy efficiency) can be the key in reducing energy poverty impacts, in addition to the short-term solutions that were implemented during the energy price crisis.

Dr. Oikonomou Vlasios
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Eichhammer
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • energy poverty
  • vulnerability
  • energy efficiency
  • heating decarbonization
  • inclusivity
  • energy access
  • affordability
  • household energy demand
  • transport poverty
  • micro-enterprises

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 2309 KiB  
Article
How to Distinguish Income Indicators of Energy and Transport Vulnerability—A Case Study of Greece
by Vlasios Oikonomou, Samuele Livraghi, Konstantina Karalaiou, Ivana Rogulj, Stavros Spyridakos and Christos Tourkolias
Sustainability 2025, 17(10), 4275; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17104275 - 8 May 2025
Viewed by 320
Abstract
This article examines Greek households’ energy and transport poverty and vulnerability, two concepts often intertwined in policy, making use of both single and composite indicators. The methodology employed aligns with the European Social Climate Fund regulation, using household income from economically active members [...] Read more.
This article examines Greek households’ energy and transport poverty and vulnerability, two concepts often intertwined in policy, making use of both single and composite indicators. The methodology employed aligns with the European Social Climate Fund regulation, using household income from economically active members and the share of expenditures on fossil-based energy use in buildings and transport, as well as the required investment costs in energy efficiency improvements for dwellings or transport decarbonization measures. Through these indicators, the proportion of energy-vulnerable households in Greece ranges from 19% to 40%, while transport vulnerability varies between 22% and 43%. Notably, the analysis reveals that households in higher income categories can still be highly vulnerable, depending on household size, composition and dependency, which impact energy and transport needs. As such, the research findings reveal that the current legislative frameworks may not fully capture the vulnerability of certain demographic groups in the event of additional costs of fossil fuels due to new climate policies. Therefore, it is strongly recommended that policymakers adjust criteria to better target vulnerable households based on their unique characteristics and needs, and use improved data collection systems to monitor energy and transport poverty and vulnerability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tackling Energy Poverty and Vulnerability Through Energy Efficiency)
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24 pages, 12683 KiB  
Article
Rethinking Energy–Transport Poverty: An Indicator for Vulnerable Rural EU Regions
by Samuele Livraghi, Marco Peretto, Dimitris Papantonis and Mara Florina Oprea
Sustainability 2025, 17(6), 2577; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062577 - 14 Mar 2025
Viewed by 684
Abstract
This paper introduces the Composite Energy and Transport Poverty Indicator (CETPI), a tool designed to address rural vulnerabilities in the EU, with a focus on Croatia, Italy, and the Netherlands. By assuming a social practice theory perspective, this article explores the intersection of [...] Read more.
This paper introduces the Composite Energy and Transport Poverty Indicator (CETPI), a tool designed to address rural vulnerabilities in the EU, with a focus on Croatia, Italy, and the Netherlands. By assuming a social practice theory perspective, this article explores the intersection of energy and transport poverty, emphasizing the need for a far more holistic approach to capture the complexity of these phenomena. Using data on household energy consumption, transport expenditure, and socioeconomic variables, the study developed a replicable indicator, pointing at areas where disparities in energy and transport access might be elusive and therefore unaddressed. As such, the findings reveal that rural areas experience unique challenges, including generally higher costs and limited access to affordable services, contributing to deeper levels of social exclusion. The CETPI provides policymakers with a framework to better understand these intertwined issues to inform targeted interventions that can alleviate both energy and transport poverty. The paper concludes by advocating for policy solutions that can improve equitable access to essential services for vulnerable rural populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Tackling Energy Poverty and Vulnerability Through Energy Efficiency)
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