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.