Multi-Tier Framework for Energy Access
A power line alone doesn’t mean power you can use
Until recently, policymakers and investors in development of all flavours commonly used a binary “on-grid or off-grid?” structure to define access to electrical energy. Maps showing the reach of the electrical grid are available for most areas. This information has been used to help as many people as possible access electricity.
However, being oversimplified, it also created incentives that were misaligned with the authentic goal in reality, which would be better articulated as improving livelihoods through access to reliable, affordable energy. As strategies reached the implementation phase, individuals and programs being assessed by the metric of electricity grid access alone would naturally drive resources to activities increasing “grid access” by a technicality. Those at the top would see the number go up. Success would be announced, yet cooking with wood would continue, and incidents of smoke inhalation-related diseases among women and children would continue to rise. Future resources for developing electricity access would skip these communities because the database would show they all “have access”.
Enter the Multi-Tier Framework (MTF). A way to measure energy access that does more than just ask whether a place is "on the grid" or not. Developed by the World Bank, ESMAP, and Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All), it looks at quality, reliability, and affordability; because a power line alone doesn’t mean power you can use.
Hand cranking wooden coffee pulpers in a community in Timor-Leste is technically “on-grid” by the old standard.
Why This Matters
Electricity access isn’t just about having wires connected to a house. It’s about whether the power is there when you need it, whether you can afford it, and whether it’s reliable enough to run something useful. The MTF recognises that traditional "on/off" metrics miss the bigger picture: blackouts, high costs, and voltage fluctuations mean people can be technically "on the grid" but still have no meaningful access to energy. This framework tracks real energy access, helping efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7: universal, sustainable, and affordable electricity.
How It Works
The MTF breaks energy access into seven factors, each rated from 0 to 5:
Capacity - Can you run basic appliances, or just a single light bulb?
Availability - How many hours a day is electricity usable?
Reliability - How often does the power cut out, and for how long?
Quality - Is the voltage stable, or will it fry your equipment?
Affordability - Can people pay for power without sacrificing essentials?
Legality - Is the connection official, or is it an informal workaround?
Health & Safety - Does using this energy source put people at risk?
A household or business is rated based on its lowest-scoring factor because energy access is only as good as its weakest link.
Where It’s Making a Difference
Governments and organisations are already using the MTF to find and fix energy access gaps:
Pakistan: MTF surveys showed that affordability and unreliable service were major barriers, leading to policy changes to improve household energy access.
Ethiopia: The government used MTF data to design its National Electrification Strategy, setting clear targets: by 2025, 35% of households will get Tier 1-2 electricity, and the rest will reach Tier 3-5.
Timor-Leste: A good example of how statistics that utilise the antiquated binary system can be misleading. Some reports show 99% energy access; however, the reality is evident in the reliance on fire, human, and diesel energy. Over 90% of households cook using wood fires on the ground, refrigeration is virtually non-existent outside Dili, and coffee pulpers are cranked by hand or diesel motors.
The MTF provides a way to measure these gaps and push for investment in solutions that supply sustainable, reliable power.
We Love This Improvement. It is Powerful. Pun Intended.
In 1976, a British statistician named George Box wrote the famous line, “All models are wrong, some are useful.”
It is important to remember this as we design and carry out plans. The better our models map onto reality, the better choices we can make. But the world is infinitely complex and so as Harvard professor Daniel Gilbert puts it “The world doesn’t have the luxury of waiting for complete answers before it takes action.” Therefore, striking a balance between usefulness and accuracy is critical. Iterations are the answer, as they so often are.
The MTF is an iterative improvement to the prevailing standard. It is a necessary step to help resources reach the right places and improve lives. I’m writing from a community currently defined as “on-grid”, surrounded by smoke from the cooking fire and fumes from the diesel generator, to thank all those who saw this global oversight and worked hard to develop and popularise a new model. Your efforts will have a material impact right here.