PrintFour Factors of Provision
Let us look at those terms in more detail. First is energy reliability. A reliable energy supply is one that you can count on to provide the energy you need, when you need it, all the time. Whereas for many this is a convenience, there are cases such as infrastructure, hospitals, and national security where energy lapses are not only unacceptable and disruptive but can be life and property threatening.
Related to this is energy security. This is related to energy reliability but is more about how safe and secure is our energy infrastructure? Concerns about sabotage and terrorism, and the risk of the energy infrastructure being intentionally compromised are very real. Ironically, the more efficient and sophisticated our energy infrastructure becomes, with smart meters, connected systems and the like, the more susceptible it is to cyberattacks and compromise. Even the traditional “wire and poles” infrastructure is at risk from sabotage and natural disasters. We hear all too often of power outages due to storms.
Energy accessibility relates to the ability for those who need energy to get it. Unlike reliability and security, this aspect is more about equity and opportunity for the population as a whole. The expectations and thresholds are different in this case. For an area who did not have access to energy until recently, recipients might be more tolerant of lapses in reliability and even security as compared to areas with a long history of energy access. A component of accessibility is affordability. Living on the grid but being unable to pay the electric bill can mean energy is not accessible to you.
Finally, we speak of energy sources as being sustainable. This unfortunately has historically been the most expendable attribute. Sources that are sustainable are difficult to sell if they cannot also address at least one or more of the other three attributes. This is why solar, wind, and other renewables have taken so long to take root in the energy profile of many regions around the world.