Energy access articles from across Nature Portfolio

Dynamic bonds offer unique advantages of adaptability and selectivity, yet, supramolecular electrocatalysts specifically tailored for 2e⁻ pathway remain unexplored. Here, the authors report a host-guest strategy that employs dynamic bonds to adjust electronic states through dual-channel regulation.

Fair finance in the energy sector is modelled in five climate–energy–economy models. The results show that convergence costs of capital could improve energy availability, affordability and sustainability in developing countries, thereby increasing the international equity of the energy transition.

Van Ouwerkerk and colleagues examine the benefits of renewable energy investments for German households during the recent energy crisis. They find a typical household with a heat pump saved 1850 € and reduced emissions by 250 g/kWh annually, leading to greater gains in resilience when compared to temporary price breaks on energy.

Improving the resilience of energy systems to natural hazards cannot rely only on strengthening technical aspects of energy grids. This study shows how integrating technical and socioeconomic dimensions in the design of microgrids can enhance the resilience and equity of energy systems and promote well-being.

Cooking with electric rather than solid-fuel stoves can reduce carbon emissions and indoor air pollution, offering climate and health co-benefits. To make electric cooking a viable clean fuel alternative for energy-poor communities, energy infrastructure and policies need redesigning to ensure reliable, safe and affordable supply.

Five climate–energy–economy models are used to explore the effect of reducing the cost gap in energy financing between developed and developing countries through fair-finance. Such convergence is projected to increase energy availability, affordability, and sustainability in developing countries, thereby improving energy justice.

Clean energy presents opportunities to reduce poverty and improve air quality on federally recognized indigenous land in the continental United States. Analysis now provides a step change in our understanding of the potential benefits of renewable power development on reservation lands, increasing our understanding towards equitable energy transition.

Electricity access statistics used to track progress against the Sustainable Development Goal 7.1 set by the United Nations have significant uncertainties, which may bring into question the electrification status of at least 87.2 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. Consequently, we call for a re-evaluation of the definitions of electricity access used by international organizations and the methodologies applied to calculate them.

Hydropower dams offer a pathway for low-carbon energy supply in Africa, yet unchecked dam expansion can harm the environment. A study shows how the integration of different dam environmental concerns into energy system planning can lead to sustainable hydropower development.

Ensuring rooftop solar photovoltaics are deployed equitably requires understanding who installs, where, and when. Through assessment of satellite imagery data, research offers a glimpse into solar rooftop photovoltaics deployment inequity in non-residential buildings in the US, revealing challenges and opportunities ahead for a just energy transition.