A study conducted by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES Portugal) indicates that one in five people in Portugal, or 19% of the population, struggles to afford the energy required to meet their household needs. The report, titled “Energy Poverty in Europe – Who are the losers in our energy system?”, was developed as part of the European gEneSys project and compares data from Portugal, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Sweden.
Among the six countries analyzed, Portugal ranks second in the incidence of energy poverty, trailing only France, where 25% of respondents reported difficulties. Italy and Poland followed with 18%, while Germany and Sweden recorded 13% and 10%, respectively. The findings were based on a weighted survey of 17,889 participants across the six nations.
The research identifies specific social, economic, and territorial factors that increase vulnerability. In Portugal, the demographic most affected consists of women with mental health issues residing in rural areas or medium-sized cities. Conversely, individuals without mental health challenges, higher levels of education, and residents of large urban centers reported the lowest incidence of energy poverty at 7%.
Gender disparities are also notable in the Portuguese data, with 22% of women reporting an inability to pay for necessary energy, compared to 15% of men. The study suggests that this gap is linked to lower or medium education levels and the burden of caregiving responsibilities. Furthermore, the report highlights a correlation between physical or psychological health limitations and increased exposure to energy poverty, noting that some individuals may require higher energy consumption for medical equipment or heating, or may be more susceptible to the effects of poor housing conditions.
Geography plays a significant role in the findings, with 22% of rural residents across the six countries reporting energy poverty, compared to 14% in urban areas. The study attributes this to the prevalence of less energy-efficient single-family homes in rural regions and a higher dependency on private vehicles.
While the authors describe the analysis as exploratory rather than definitive, they suggest that these patterns should inform public policy. Proposed measures include income-adjusted energy subsidies, the energy rehabilitation of rental properties, the expansion of social tariffs, and targeted support for individuals with chronic illnesses or disabilities.
The findings for Portugal were presented in Lisbon during a seminar organized by FES Portugal in partnership with the Directorate-General for Energy and Geology (DGEG) and the National Observatory for Energy Poverty.