Can bureaucrats change light bulbs? Institutional constraints of energy poverty alleviation programs in Taiwan

Since 2018, the Taiwan government has implemented “energy-vulnerable care measures,” focusing on replacing inefficient appliances to alleviate energy poverty. This paper examines the origin and implementation of these energy poverty alleviation programs. We explore how local governments identify energy-vulnerable populations and design suitable interventions by analyzing policy documents and semi-structured interviews with 35 frontline bureaucrats and program stakeholders. Our research revealed that the logic of energy conservation constrained the development of those supportive programs. There is a tendency to replicate familiar, easy-to-implement measures, such as light bulb replacements, even when they may not fully address local needs. In addition, fragmented governance, inadequate inter-bureau coordination, and high staff turnover further challenge effective implementation. Within this situation, overwhelmed bureaucrats, who often lack the necessary expertise, thus tend to depend heavily on contractors. This study is the first to explore Taiwan’s energy poverty governance and seeks to extend its findings to countries undergoing energy transition and facing emergent energy poverty. We call for improving local energy governance capacity and integrating energy poverty policies into broader social welfare frameworks.