In this paper we present an alter­na­tive approach to address­ing the prob­lem of ener­gy pover­ty. The pri­vate and com­mu­ni­ty own­er­ship in elec­tric­i­ty fac­tors of pro­duc­tion, eco­nom­ic cal­cu­la­tion, and the incen­tive for inno­va­tion through the price mech­a­nism are dis­cussed. A brief analy­sis on how this new approach can be used to address ener­gy access prob­lems in ener­gy poor com­mu­ni­ties is done. Cas­es stud­ies of the Niger­ian off-grid mini-grid indus­try and the Ecoblock pilot project in Cal­i­for­nia in the Unit­ed States are dis­cussed.