For a significant proportion of the world’s population, essential daily activities such as cooking and refrigerating food, sanitizing drinking water, and heating their homes still require fuel. So, when a disaster strikes or armed conflict breaks out, and power is disrupted, the resulting fuel scarcity can leave millions of people without the means to meet basic food and shelter needs. In these contexts, fuel—like food or water—is a crucial resource.

Without fuel, critical and even life-saving activities are impeded – people can’t power home medical equipment, charge their phones to locate loved ones, or drive injured or sick family members to receive care. First responders can’t conduct search and rescue operations or run field hospital generators. And critical infrastructure, like water treatment plants and medical facilities, ceases to function.