Energy service security in the context of the rural and urban divide
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2025
Abstract
The concept of energy security has evolved in response to global crises such as the 1970s oil crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine war, which have highlighted vulnerabilities in fossil fuel supply chains and spurred policy and academic responses. Traditional frameworks of energy security focus on the reliable, affordable, and sustainable supply of energy but often overlook the enduse services that energy enables. This chapter argues that energy security should be reconceptualized as energy services security (ESS), emphasizing the activities energy facilitates rather than the energy sources themselves. ESS varies significantly across geopolitical, urban, and rural contexts, with disparities exacerbated by income levels, infrastructure, and policy frameworks. Using India and the USA as case studies, this research explores the rural-urban divide in ESS within lower-middle-income (LMIC) and high-income (HIC) countries. It highlights how factors such as supply diversity, electrification policies, and demographic shifts shape ESS differently in these contexts. The chapter underscores the need to integrate energy justice into ESS frameworks to address inequities in energy access and ensure a just transition to renewable energy. By examining ESS through an intergenerational and justice-oriented lens, this study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of energy security in a decarbonizing global economy.
Publication Title
Energy Efficiency in Critical Times Security Economics and Transition
ISBN
[9780443289507, 9780443289491]
Recommended Citation
Tiwari, S.,
&
Schelly, C.
(2025).
Energy service security in the context of the rural and urban divide.
Energy Efficiency in Critical Times Security Economics and Transition, 19-34.
http://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-443-28949-1.00002-3
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p2/2080