Women's political empowerment and electricity affordability: A spatial analysis

Abstract

This study examines the role of women's political empowerment on energy costs in the context of 22 EU economies. We estimate Spatial Durbin Models (SDM) and Spatial Autoregressive Models (SAR) to evaluate the direct, indirect and cross-sectional spillover. The empirical results divulge that women's political empowerment would be an effective and significant mechanism to reduce energy costs in EU economies. In addition, efficient resources allocation and women-led governance serves as a key channel for reducing energy costs. In contrast, environmental-related technologies progress, renewable energy and economic growth upward pressures on costs. This finding enlightens the importance of gender-sensitive policies into energy pricing planning affordability. Policymakers should consider fostering women's participation in political decision-making as part of broader efforts to improve energy sector performance and ensure inclusive, sustainable access to affordable energy.