Access to energy, particularly through clean and modern technology, can make substantial contributions to promote rural development in the poor areas of developing countries. However, the relationship between energy, poverty alleviation and sustainable development is still unclear. Additionally, while improving access to energy is required for development, the way that this has been supplied has not always warranted a sustained livelihood in rural areas. With the purpose of gaining a better understanding of the relation between energy and development, the current research “Renewable Energy for Sustainable Livelihoods-RESURL”, aims to assess and measure the factors that contribute or hinder the development of efficient, viable and appropriate access to energy provision in remote rural areas by using a multidisciplinary and participative perspective. A System Dynamics model is constructed to evaluate the contribution of energy to rural livelihoods. SD modeling facilitates understanding feedback and control processes, as well as delays in decision making. Simulations show how isolated communities in conditions of poverty could attain a satisfactory level of human, social, physical and financial development by making sustainable use of their natural resources through energy technologies. The study draws on the sustainable livelihoods approach as a framework for assessing community assets and capacities.