Mapping urban living standards and economic activity in developing countries with energy data

Area of Science:

• Urban planning and development
• Geospatial analysis
• Socio-economic indicators

Background:

• Developing countries face urban data gaps hindering evidence-based policy.
• Energy data, specifically electricity consumption, is explored as a proxy for socio-economic status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the utility of residential electricity data and night-time lights (NTL) as proxies for living standards and economic activity in Karachi, Pakistan.
• To evaluate data limitations in urban planning for developing nations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized nationally representative survey data to link electricity consumption with household living standards.
• Compared georeferenced electricity meter data (2 million+ households) with night-time lights (NTL) data.
• Developed a model using Open Street Map data to explain NTL variations based on economic activity proxies.

Main Results:

• Night-time lights (NTL) data showed limited utility as a proxy for living standards but reflected population density and economic activity.
• Georeferenced residential electricity consumption data proved to be an excellent proxy for household living standards.

Conclusions:

• Electricity data offers a viable solution to urban data deficits in developing countries.
• Electricity consumption data can inform urban policy and poverty research in low- and middle-income countries.