Based on the gender division of labour which exists in all societies, men and women have different energy needs. They also use energy in different ways or different purposes. However, no synthesis exists on gendermainstreaming in energy policy research, which can identify and compare the main concepts of gender in the energy justice discourse. A comprehensive focus on gender, which is not specifically confined to women, is essential to analyse the gender dimension of energy access and use. Starting with the first publications on gender and energy policy in the aftermath of the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing, the gender and energy discourse evolved from a women-only approach towards gender equity and energy transformation in the light of the SDG's. In the academic field, the current research on energy justice and equity paves the way for gendermainstreaming in energy policy. The paper presents the findings of this critical review through defining main concepts, analysing the development of the energy and gender discourse in the last twenty years, and identifying knowledge gaps that can be bridged with future research.
