Electricity-saving Behavior Research Articles

Do green nudges affect “green curtains”? Results from a field experiment in Japan

In Japan, households are required to save more electricity in response to electricity supply shortages after the Great East Japan Earthquake and meet the 66% greenhouse gas reduction target in the residential sector under the Paris Agreement. This study examines the effects of providing information to promote the implementation of green curtains, a summer electricity-saving behavior at home, using a randomized controlled trial for residents in Japan. Green curtains are made by growing annual vines, like curtains on a net stretched across a window or wall, and have the effect of reducing room temperature by providing shade. Based on their characteristics, being visible to others and a low implementation rate, we examine the effects of the perceptions and cognitions of the implementation of green curtains in the city (subjective descriptive norm) and the information provided on the trends in green curtain implementation in neighboring districts (objective descriptive norm) on the respondents' willingness to implement. The results show that subjective descriptive norms influence the willingness to implement. Further, the information about neighboring districts with slightly higher green curtain implementation rates is more effective than information about neighboring districts with significantly higher rates. This examination of the comprehensive influence of descriptive norms and the effect of the dynamic and relatively comparative forms of providing descriptive norm information have implications for studies in other fields on promoting prosocial behaviors visible to others and with low implementation rates.

Antecedents of Electricity-Saving Behavior in Mountain Road Tunnel-Construction Sites: A Multi-Level Modeling Analysis

The electricity-saving behavior of construction workers is helpful in reducing construction costs, protecting the ecological environment, and preventing global climate change. However, there is insufficient research on the electricity-saving behavioral mechanisms of tunnel-construction workers, and their behavior is influenced by their surrounding people including supervisors and co-workers because they are nested in various construction sites and isolated from other acquaintances. This study aims to develop a hierarchical linear model that explores the interrelationships between tunnel-construction workers’ electricity-saving behavior and four influencing factors theoretically and empirically. An organizational-level factor, electricity-saving climate, and three individual-level factors, including attitude, perceived behavioral control, and moral norms, are considered, and 1567 tunnel-construction workers from 41 construction sites mainly located in the southwest of China participated in this study. A six-step procedure for statistical analyses is adopted to test eight hypotheses using questionnaire survey data. The results supported all the hypotheses within the multi-level model and showed that the organizational-level factor played a leading role in predicting workers’ electricity-saving intentions with three individual-level factors positively associated with workers’ electricity-saving intentions. Further, the organizational electricity-saving climate also indirectly affects workers’ electricity-saving intentions through three mediators (individual-level factors), and electricity-saving intention is positively associated with electricity-saving behavior. Consequently, cultivating an electricity-saving climate within an organization is of great benefit to electricity conservation and environmental protection, and several recommendations are provided to improve the practical operability of results. The findings enable a better understanding of electricity-saving behavioral mechanisms and promote a low-carbon lifestyle among tunnel-construction workers.

Electricity energy-saving behavior of households in Jordan: a qualitative study

PurposeGiven the rapid increase in energy consumption in the residential sector in Jordan recently, the question of how to promote energy-saving behavior in Jordanian households is an emerging topic that is receiving increasing attention from scholars and academics. Generally, there is an unresolved paradox in the literature concerning electricity-saving behaviors. On one hand, numerous studies highlight energy-saving behaviors. On the other hand, recent research indicates the presence of significant untapped potential in electricity-saving behaviors. Therefore, it is useful to revisit the construct of these behaviors qualitatively to expand understanding. The study aimed to provide a better understanding of electricity energy-saving behaviors in terms of its motivations, barriers and support mechanisms from household heads' or household members' perspectivesDesign/methodology/approachQualitative study in a sample of households in north Jordan was conducted in the Irbid province using grounded theory methodology. The analysis of qualitative data involved coding, followed by the integration of codes into more comprehensive categories and themes and interpreting the findings.FindingsThe results identify the motivations for households to save energy, the main barriers to indulging in electricity energy-saving behaviors, and the main support mechanisms and perceived support of electricity energy-saving behaviorsPractical implicationsThe findings bear significant implications for targeted interventions in the study area, improving motivations and addressing local barriers and can inform future policy issues by tailoring initiatives to the specific context.Originality/valueThis study is distinguished by being the first study that specializes in electricity energy-saving behavior of households in Jordan, using new methodology and techniques (qualitative survey).

Attitude and Electricity-Saving Behaviors among Household Users of Electricity in Nsukka, Nigeria

Household electricity consumption rates are increasing globally. However, saving electricity can decrease energy use, avoid wastage, and save financial resources for households. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine how attitude influences electricity-saving behaviors among household users in Nsukka District, Enugu State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. A research question with corresponding null hypotheses was formulated and tested at a 0.05 level of significance. Stratified random sampling was used to select 400 household users, consisting of 206 females and 194 males. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information from the respondents. The questionnaire was validated by three experts and tested for reliability using the Cronbach alpha method. It contained respondents' personal data (biodata and demographics) and 28 items on attitudinal factors. The data obtained were analyzed to determine mean responses, and t-tests were used to test the null hypotheses at a 0.05 level of significance. The study found that gender does not influence the attitude of household users towards electricity-saving behaviors. It is recommended that government and non-government bodies organize training programs for household users of electricity to improve their attitude and promote more electricity-saving behaviors.

Impact of socio-demographic, psychological and emotional factors on household direct and indirect electricity saving behavior: A case study of Pakistan

The population of Pakistan increased by less than 2.26% while the demand for electricity increased by 4.95% annually. It implies that population expansion is the primary factor driving up home electricity usage. To effectively promote energy conservation and address the environmental and financial issues brought on by excessive electricity consumption, it is essential to understand the effect of socio-demographic, psychological and emotional elements affect household electricity-saving behavior. So, this study investigates how socio-demographic, psychological and emotional elements affect household electricity-saving behavior. The theoretical model is based on the theories of planned behavior and interpersonal behavior. Following that, a questionnaire-based survey is done to gather data from 415 homes in Pakistan's Punjab Province. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to evaluate the collected data and test the research's hypothesis. According to the findings, attitude, perceived behavioral control, personal moral nom, habit, and intention to save electricity are all significantly associated with electricity-saving behavior, whereas subjective norm, household, positive anticipated emotion, and electricity bill have no effect. The results we obtained highlight the significance of psychological and emotional elements as drivers of energy-saving behavior, implying that these non-cognitive and emotional factors require considerably more focus. By underlining the importance of emotional and psychological factors on household electricity-saving behavior, this research provides insightful data for policymakers, energy suppliers, and environmental organizations. By studying the combined effect of emotional and psychological elements on household electricity-saving behavior, stakeholders may build specialized ways to foster environmentally friendly energy practices and reach sustainable energy objectives in a range of socio-demographic scenarios.

Electricity - Saving Behavioral Intention of Farmers

The study applied the Theory of Planned Behavior - TPB (Ajzen, 1991) and the Norm Activation Model - NAM (Schwartz, 1977) to demonstrate the affecting factors on behavioral intention in energy saving of farmers in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Research data were collected from 204 farmer households using electricity in four provinces: Tien Giang, Dong Thap, An Giang, and Kien Giang. Applying the structural equation modeling (SEM), the study has pointed out the affecting factors mentioned above, including personal ethical standards, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, perceived benefit, attitude, product quality, and energy policy. Besides, the study has shown that the intention to save electricity positively impacts the electricity-saving behavior of farmers

Progress of increasing-block electricity pricing policy implementation in China's first-tier cities and the impact of resident policy perception

Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the policy acceptance model (PAM), this study innovatively incorporated policy perception into a theoretical model of residential electricity-saving behavior. Thus, we demonstrated the factors that influence the residential electricity-saving feedback after the implementation of the increasing-block electricity pricing policy (IBP). A questionnaire survey was conducted, and the data was empirically tested on 3108 residents in four typical first-tier cities in China. The results indicated that the perceived economic usefulness, perceived environmental usefulness, and perceived ease of use of the IBP all significantly and positively influenced residents' cutting and investing in electricity-saving feedback. Gender and city heterogeneity were also tested. In addition, questionnaire data from 2016 and 2022 were analyzed in comparison. The results showed that residents' concerns about electricity information, attitudes towards electricity saving, and policy cognition all increased to varying degrees in recent years. Finally, policy recommendations were proposed to promote residents’ policy perception and IBP energy-saving feedback.

Knowledge energy, information policy and electricity-saving behavior of households

Knowledge energy, information policy and electricity-saving behavior of households

Determinants of Employee Electricity Saving Behavior in Small Firms: The Role of Benefits and Leadership

The emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases through electricity consumption by firms is one of the significant drivers of climate change. The performance of a firm’s environmental programme is to a large extent dependent on employee behaviour. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), the study tested a theoretical model that incorporates benefits and leadership as antecedents of attitude towards electricity saving by the employees of small firms in the hospitality sector. The effects of five benefits (intrinsic, extrinsic, organisational, social, and environmental) and two leadership factors (leadership behaviour and leadership support) were examined. Investigating the antecedents of TPB constructs can help in understanding the process through which the constructs are associated with intention. In addition, the moderating effect of green psychological climate in the relationship between intention and electricity saving behaviour was examined. The study used the quantitative research design, and the cross-sectional survey method was used for data collection. The hypotheses of the study were tested using the Partial Least Square Structural Equation modelling (PLS SEM). The results of the empirical study indicated that intrinsic, organisational, social, and environmental benefits are positively related to attitudes towards electricity saving. In addition, the effects of leadership behaviour and support are significant. Furthermore, green psychological climate moderates the relationship between intention and electricity saving behaviour. Recommendations to improve employees’ electricity saving behaviour are suggested.

Does the current tiered electricity pricing structure still restrain electricity consumption in China's residential sector?

The tiered electricity pricing (TEP) policy in China was implemented for 10 years. With the rapid economic growth and changing in residential consumption behavior, whether the initial design is still effective for electricity conservation and residential affordability is a worthy topic. By survey data of China Family Panel Studies project, this paper examined the policy effect of TEP from perspective of the threshold settings, long-term electricity conservation and residential affordability. Firstly, the Extended Linear Expenditure System was proposed to evaluate the basic needs of residents, and the results showed that the threshold value was still reasonable. Secondly, the long-term effect of TEP on electricity consumption for different tiered residents was estimated by DID method. Although the third-tier residents showed more obvious electricity-saving behaviors compared with the second-tier residents, the policy effect on residents’ electricity-saving behavior was weakening and the expected policy effect was gradually being released. Lastly, the further assessment of the residents' welfare loss and electricity expenditure showed that the policy reform was still within the affordable range of the residents. In order to maintain the effectiveness of the policy, the government should further optimize the TEP structure to promote residential electricity saving behavior.

The impacts of special environmental events on short-run electricity-saving behaviors

Policymakers and academics are increasingly interested in using ‘social nudges’ to influence behavior, which are typically inexpensive relative to price-based and mandatory approaches. This study provides rigorous empirical evidence of the impacts of three big special environmental events, as a specific form of nudge, on short-run electricity-saving behaviors using high-frequency smart meter data in Shanghai, China, for both residential and commercial consumers. We find that World Environment Day and National Energy Saving Publicity Week caused commercial users to reduce their electricity consumption by 1.35 kWh h−1 and 0.6 kWh h−1 intra-event, around 17% and 8% reduction compared to average consumption, but the impacts decayed rapidly once the events ended. Earth Hour did not lead to significant energy-saving effects for both residential and commercial users. We further examine detailed activities implemented during these events to understand the heterogeneous impacts using social media and policy documents data.

Understanding household electricity-saving behavior: Exploring the effects of perception and cognition factors

Based on a model that generates the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the norm activation model (NAM), this study aimed to determine how positive and negative perceptions affect people's willingness to save electricity. It also verified the moderating effect of cognition of price and subsidy policies on residents’ electricity-saving intentions and behaviors. An empirical test was conducted using data on 658 urban residents in the Yangtze River Delta. The results indicated that perceived monetary benefit and perceived environmental benefit both positively affect residents’ willingness to save electricity, but that the effect of perceived inconvenience is significantly negative. Residents’ cognition of electricity price and subsidy policies exerts a prominent positive moderating effect between electricity-saving intentions and behaviors. In addition, perceived behavioral control and personal moral norms indirectly affect electricity-saving behaviors by affecting intentions. Finally, relevant policy recommendations for promoting energy conservation and emissions reduction in households are proposed.

The Influence of Government Subsidy and Pro-environmental Gaps on Electricity-saving Behaviors of Households in Indonesia

This research analyzes whether electricity subsidy as an external factor and pro-environmental intention and acts as internal factors have any relationship on households' electricity-saving behaviors in Indonesia. To this end, Indonesia's household data from the National Socioeconomic Survey of Indonesia (SUSENAS) in 2017 is empirically analyzed. Using logit regression with control factors such as dwellings and sociodemographic characteristics, the statistical analysis reveals that subsidized households areless likely to save electricity in their daily lives. Furthermore, families with higher pro-environmental intentions are not necessarily likely to save electricity, while households who are accustomed to pro-environmental routines are likely to do so. These demonstrate the existence ofinternal gaps between their pro-environmental intention and the acts, suggesting that electricity subsidies reform and program should be considered along with the way how intention-act gaps can be mitigated at household levels for energy saving.

The Factors Affecting Household Electricity Saving Behavior: A Study in Vietnam

In the context of dramatically increase in electricity demand, Vietnam's potential for power supply remains limited. Research and promotion of electricity saving behavior of households become significant to reduce electricity consumption and protect ecological environment. This study incorporates elements of planned behavior theory (TPB) and norm activation model (NAM) as the basis for developing and extending key assumptions. In addition, expansion TPB is used to study influence factors affecting electricity saving behavior. Through a sample of 395 randomly selected residents in Tay Ninh Province and Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam, the proposals were checked using a structural equation model (SEM). The results showed that the factors in TPB and NAM (such as perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, attitude, personal moral norm) and additional factor (perceived benefit) are the important factors that influence resident's intention of saving electricity. Moreover, electricity saving behavior is strongly influenced by the intention of saving electricity, perceived benefit, policy and social propaganda. Based on these results, some inferences are drawn, and recommendations are made for policy makers and further research proposals are discussed.

Study on the Influencing Factors of Electricity Saving Behavior

In order to explore the influencing factors of electricity-saving behavior, based on the survey data of residents' electricity consumption habits in some areas of Sichuan province, SPSS was used to analyze the differences of different electricity-saving behaviors. And then we establish factor analysis model, induce and extract the common factors that affect the electricity saving behavior. The results show that there are significant differences between psychological cost, behavioral cost, lack of relevant knowledge and electricity cost. They are three common factors that affect the implementation of electricity saving behavior, and the cumulative explainable rate is 52.302%.

The Impact of Policy Factors and Users’ Awareness on Electricity-Saving Behaviors: From the Perspective of Habits and Investment

Exploring the factors affecting residents’ electricity-saving behavior and their mechanisms of action is an important way to conserve regional energy and reduce emissions. Integrating the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and norm activation model (NAM) and introducing the external policy factors, a model of the factors influencing habituation and investment electricity-saving behavior was constructed and an empirical study of urban residents in Hefei city, China was conducted. The results show that residents’ knowledge of the electricity price policy indirectly affects their habitual intentions by affecting their attitudes whereas residents’ knowledge of the subsidy policy have direct effects on their investment intentions. Environmental concern can directly affect residents’ habituation and investment intentions and also indirectly affect their habituation ones by affecting their personal moral norm. However, its indirect effect on the investment intention is not significant. Perceived behavioral control has a significant positive impact on residents’ investment intentions and behaviors, but the impacts on their habituation ones are not significant. The relationships between the personal moral norm and the two kinds of intention and behavior are opposite to those of perceived behavior control. Relevant policy implications for the government, household appliance enterprises, and power enterprises are provided.

The Effects of Leadership and Reward Policy on Employees' Electricity Saving Behaviors: An Empirical Study in China.

Excessive energy consumption and carbon emission damages the ecological environment and socially sustainable development in China. Organizations are major energy consumers, and should be principally responsible for energy saving. Despite that many organizational leaders know it is urgent to manage the energy saving behavior of employees, “how to effectively manage” receives less attention in both academic and practical fields. To fill this gap, this study adapts charismatic leadership theory to develop a theoretical model and explores how organizational leaders manage the electricity saving behavior of employees. This model was tested with a survey of 627 full-time employees from 14 provinces and municipalities of China. Results show that sustainable development vision, electricity saving cues, inspiration and role modeling significantly increase the electricity saving responsibility of employees, which in turn positively influences their electricity saving behavior. Moreover, organizational reward policy buffers the positive relationship between responsibility and behavior. This study contributes to energy conservation literature by explaining what characteristics of leadership improve the electricity saving behavior of employees and how leader characteristics match with organizational policy to effectively manage this. The practical implications for electricity saving management are also discussed.

The study of electricity-saving behavior of personnel at Phranakhon Rajabhat University

This research aimed to study the electricity-saving behavior of personnel at Phranakorn Rajabhat University. The samples consisted of 276 Phranakorn Rajabhat University’s personnel who worked during the academic year 2019. Multi-staged sampling techniques were used for samples selection. Data were collected by a questionnaire. Statistics employed were percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, pearson product-moment correlation The research found that; information reception, attitude, and electricity-saving behavior were at high levels, whereas knowledge was at median. Relationship studies revealed that information reception, attitude, and electricity saving behavior of personnel at Phranakorn Rajabhat university were positively related in the same direction at significant level of .01.

Do different sizes of urban population matter differently to CO2 emission in different regions? Evidence from electricity consumption behavior of urban residents in China

Abstract Population size is closely related to anthropogenic CO2 emissions, but whether urban population size at different stages of population urbanization matters differently to CO2 emissions in regions at different development levels has not been paid much attention to. CO2 emissions induced by urban residential electricity consumption (REC) 1 has been a main component of urban indirect CO2 emissions, and it is jointly controlled by the electricity demand resulting from urban population size and the electricity intensity influenced by residents' consumption behavior in different socioeconomic environments. In this paper, through panel threshold regression, by controlling residents' behavior factors, the impact of urban population size on REC at the different stages of population urbanization was investigated in the eastern, central and western regions of mainland China respectively during 2000–2016. Results show that, urban population size always played a dominant role on REC, and there were significant regional heterogeneity and staged heterogeneity simultaneously in such impact. Overall, such impact always decreases first and then increases (U-shaped pattern) no matter as urban population grows or as regional development level increases. According to the different stages of urban population growth and their impacts on REC in each region, there are different reasonable ranges of urban population size for low-carbon development in the three regions respectively. The control variables of residents' electricity consumption behavior only contributed a minor effect on REC. Among them, technological progress and residential density had a minor inhibitory effect on REC, while average income and education level played a negligible promotion role on REC. Accordingly, policy implications for controlling reasonable size of urban population are provided for each region, as well as the measures to improve residents’ electricity-saving behavior from the socioeconomic perspective.

How to predict future pro-environmental intention? The spillover effect of electricity-saving behavior under environmental and monetary framing

The spillover effect in the environmental realm has attracted attention from many researchers. The present study took electricity saving as an example to explore the mechanism of the spillover effect under environmental framing (EF) or monetary framing (MF) and examine the effect of “labeling” on the spillover effect to add value to existing environmental research. Three studies showed that both environmental and monetary framing could promote environmental intention. Study 1 tested the effectiveness of the intervention materials and found that both EF and MF increased the intention to save electricity. Study 2 and 3 revealed that the spillover effect was influenced by framing. Specifically, the spillover of EF was positive, whereas that of MF was negative. At the same time, environmental self-identity mediated both positive and negative spillover. Moreover, enhancing individuals’ environmental self-identity by labeling them as “environmentalists” could prevent negative spillover and increase positive spillover. The results of the present study also provided practical guidance regarding pro-environmental education and campaigns by emphasizing environmental benefits rather than monetary benefits and by strengthening environmental self-identity through labeling.