despite significant sustained total population growth from billion in to billion in as of the average total electrification rate in the region was per cent up from per cent in this amounts to more than million people gaining access to electric power each year energy access is measured in the tieredspectrum from tier no access to tier the highest level of access beyond connections energy access redefined esmap technical report significant market barriers prevent consumers and firms from purchasing costeffective energy efficient equipment and appliances the result is an energy efficiency gap in which the level of efficiency achieved is lower than the level judged to be optimal at prevailing market prices