Mijnheer, Lieke (2023) Gendered Energy Inequality: Understanding the mundane realities of women living in energy poverty in Groningen. Master thesis.
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Abstract
In a society where we aspire to switch to sustainable forms of energy sooner rather than later, there is a large group of people who cannot keep up with this transition; the energy poor. Energy poverty entails the inability to access sufficient energy services. However, energy poverty is not only a pressing issue in relation to the energy transition but also because of its possible distressing impacts on people’s daily lives. Numbers by CBS and TNO show that the group of people living in energy poverty in the Netherlands is only increasing. Due to the multidimensional character of the issue, there usually is not one main cause and the impacts can affect different areas of an individual’s life. Remarkably, women are more likely to become energy poor while also suffering more from the possible impacts. Therefore, it is important to understand the way women experience and navigate the mundane realities of living in energy poverty. This study uses assemblage thinking as a concept to dissect the multidimensionality of energy poverty in combination with a case study in the Dutch city of Groningen, where semi- structured interviews with women currently experiencing, or having experienced, energy poverty were conducted to uncover the mundane realities of women living in energy poverty. On top of this, expert interviews provided insights into the current Dutch policy landscape regarding energy poverty and gender. The results show that there is indeed a gender dimension to energy poverty due to gender roles. These women experience multiple impacts of living in energy poverty, such as high levels of stress, being more prone to getting a cold, and having to cut spending on other necessities to be able to pay their energy bills. Moreover, from a policy point of view, gender is not yet taken into account with regard to energy poverty while also lacking a long-term vision maintaining the vagueness surrounding the topic.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Degree programme: | Environmental & Infrastructure Planning |
| Supervisor: | Turhan, E. |
| Date Deposited: | 25 Aug 2023 11:21 |
| Last Modified: | 25 Aug 2023 11:21 |
| URI: | https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/4337 |
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