The evolution of energy poverty theory

Energy poverty describes a condition of energy-related social deprivation, usually associated with inadequate access to energy services, unfulfilled basic energy needs, or excessive payment for energy. Despite substantial progress in the research, a significant theoretical divergence still exists, which has hindered global awareness and the development of effective policies. To help close the gap toward a theoretical consensus and push recent research achievements into policymaking, this paper maps the evolution of energy poverty theory with a scientometrics approach. In contrast to other studies, it focuses on knowledge development within the theoretical and authoring spaces of the field. Our analysis reveals that the field had two independent origins, which developed separately before 2010 and began to influence each other afterward. Five Schools of Thought have emerged, none of which has become dominant. Notably, energy justice has served as a conciliatory perspective in the search for a unified theory. Even though the evolution of energy poverty research has shown a convergent trend, the field remains far from reaching a consensus. The results suggest that considerable efforts by the broader energy poverty research community remain to develop a universal theory of energy poverty. © 2025