Role of gender in determining energy poverty, clean energy access, and energy expenditure: Insights from Rural China : A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Commerce and Management at Lincoln University

Gender is crucial in shaping individuals’ access to resources and economic performance. It is a key determinant in addressing rural energy poverty and facilitating energy transitions, which are central to rural development. Despite its importance, the influence of gender on rural energy poverty and the process of energy transition remains insufficiently examined in the existing literature. This thesis explores gender differences in energy poverty, clean energy access, and energy expenditure in rural Chinese households. We employ the multidimensional energy poverty index (MEPI) to capture household energy poverty comprehensively. An exogenous switching treatment regression model is applied to analyze survey data of 1,485 rural households from eastern, central, and western China (Jiangsu, Hubei, and Yunnan provinces, respectively). The results show that rural households with female heads have a higher level of MEPI than those with male heads. Relative to rural households with female heads, those with male heads are more likely to access clean energy for cooking and heating and spend more on energy for heating than those with female heads. The disaggregated analyses reveal that large-sized households, regardless of male or female household heads, tend to have a lower MEPI and higher probability of accessing clean energy for cooking and heating than medium- and small-sized households. Our findings highlight that gender is not neutral when determining rural energy poverty and use patterns. There is a great need to empower rural women (especially those in small-sized households) by offering them skills training, financial support, and energy consumption subsidies. By doing so, rural females can be equally involved in household decisions regarding energy use activities, which would eventually help reduce energy poverty and promote clean energy use.