Energy Poverty: Geospatial Modelling in 2021 Berlin using publicly available data : KTH Thesis Report

Abstract: Energy services are essential for human development and well-being, and the unequal distribution of them leads to inequalities and vulnerabilities. Energy poverty, generally understood as the inability to heat a household, is an increasingly pressing issue that in the context of political and climatic instabilities could affect more and more households. Nevertheless in the context of the European Union is an overlooked topic that lacks a unanimous definition and measuring system. This text aims to investigate if publicly accessible data reveals any energy poverty issues in 2021 Berlin. For that, the project develops a geospatial model that quantifies the energy poverty ratio in each district of Berlin using publicly accessible data. Instead of using actual consumption the model goes one step further and calculates the needed consumption using weather and dwelling conditions. This aims to take into consideration those households that would not use energy services to save up money. As a result, the project presents several maps that show the gradient of energy poverty in the different districts. The issue, following the results, seems to be more relevant in the central areas of Berlin. But in only one district the values obtained, categorise the district state as energetically poor using standardised thresholds. Nevertheless needs to be pointed out the lack of accuracy in the results, which can serve as guidance but not as categorical conclusions. The main missing data is the frequency distribution of the different average values used. Without this value, the calculations are based on averages that can easily overlook the disparities within the district and give false results.