Communications on energy Household energy conservation

This study assesses the influence of attitudinal and socio-economic factors on household energy conservation actions. A household interview survey in Regina, Saskatchewan found that respondents perceive an energy problem, although no association with energy conservation actions was determined. Two attitudinal and five socio-economic variables influence household energy conservation. Energy and monetary savings are available to households through energy conservation. Public awareness of household energy conservation through the media can reinforce existing energy conservation actions and encourage new actions.     

Estimating energy conservation patterns of Greek households

This paper develops an empirical model to investigate the main determinants of household energy conservation patterns in Greece employing cross-section data. In the empirical analysis, household energy-conserving choices models are employed, using a discrete and a latent trait variable respectively as a dependent variable. The results show that socio-economic variables such as consumers’ income and family size are suitable to explain differences towards energy conservation preferences. In addition, the results suggest that electricity expenditures and age of the respondent are negatively associated with the number of energy-conserving actions that a consumer is willing to adopt. Finally, other variables such as environmental information feedback and consciousness of energy problems are characteristics of the energy-saver consumer. By evaluating consumer's decision-making process with regards to energy conservation measures, we are able to formulate and propose an effective energy conservation framework for Greece. An energy policy framework is among the main prerequisites not only to achieve sustainable development but also to maintain consumers’ quality of life.     

Residential energy use: Analysis of disaggregate data

The Energy Information Administration recently published data they collected from the National Interim Energy Consumption Survey (NIECS). NIECS includes detailed information on 4081 individual households: demographic characteristics, energy-related features of the structure, heating equipment and appliances therein, recent conservation actions taken by the household, and fuel consumption and costs for the April 1978–March 1979 one-year period. This data set provides a new and valuable resource for analysis. We summarized and analysed the NIECS data on household energy consumption — total energy use, electricity use, and use of the primary space heating fuel. The regression equations constructed explain roughly half the variation in energy use among households. These equations contain 10 or fewer independent variables, the most important of which are fuel price, year house was built, floor area, and heating degree days.     

国外家庭节能经验对我国的启示

能源问题是国际上的热点问题,节能是能源问题中的重点问题。本文在借鉴国外家庭节能经验的基础上,根据我国国情,提出了建立基于市场的节能机制、充分利用经济杠杆来进行激励的建议等。     

Overcoming social and institutional barriers to energy conservation

Although economically rational responses to the energy crisis, energy conservation actions may be hindered by social and institutional barriers. The nature of these barriers is explored and a taxonomy of barriers is proposed. Results of a series of interviews provide examples of the different types of barriers. Strategies for overcoming barriers are examined and some criteria for evaluating such strategies are developed. The importance of considering not only the efficiency of strategies in achieving the goal of energy conservation, but also their impacts on other—possibly competing—social and economic goals is emphasized. The need for increased efforts aimed at overcoming barriers and further research into the nature of these barriers is discussed.     

Energy efficiency in rental housing

Where indigenous resources comprise a small amount of state's energy supplies, dollars spent on energy in that state are transferred to export economies, reducing local expenditures for goods and services. Preventing this transfer through conservation actions increases household disposable income, which, through a multiplier effect, exerts substantial impacts on local sales, investments, jobs, and the local tax base. A strong relationship can therefore exist between economic development and energy efficiency in the various sectors of a community. In some areas of a local economy, optimal levels of energy conservation can be achieved without government intervention, because of the existence of market incentives. Institutional barriers in the rental housing sector, however, contribute to a lack of thermal integrity in structures that are in many cases inhabited by those who can least afford anticipated energy price increases. This paper reviews the problems of achieving energy efficiency in rental housing and approaches used by local and state governments to overcome resulting barriers. The experience of Ithaca, NY is highlighted.     

Social habits and energy consumption in single-family homes

Personal interviews (response rate = 96.1%) were made with both men and women in an area of 76 similar, all-electric single-family houses (November 15 to December 1, 1981). The total variation in energy consumption in the area is explained by differences in social habits (water consumption, about 50%; ventilation habits, about 35%; indoor temperature, about 15%) among the households. The consumer sociological variables chosen for this study statistically explain more than 60% of total variation in household energy consumption. A relation has been found between attitude to energy consumption and household energy consumption with r = 0.48. The households display no knowledge that they themselves consume about one third of total energy used. When major energy saving activities are undertaken by the households, the motive is often energy consciousness. When minor energy-saving activities are taken, the motive is an economic one. The male energy-related role is of greater importance for the variation in household energy consumption than the female role.In a discussion, the importance of distinguishing between household energy consumption and household energy use in order not to affect the welfare of the households when energy saving actions are undertaken, is maintained.     

Accelerated electricity conservation in Juneau,Alaska: A study of household activities that reduced demand 25%

An avalanche destroyed the main hydroelectric transmission line to Juneau, Alaska in April, 2008. Diesel-generated electricity was substituted, causing electricity prices to increase 500% for 45 days. Electricity demand fell by 25% during the supply disruption. Most of the reduction occurred before the higher rates were implemented. Some conservation – about 8% of historic consumption – persisted after the transmission line was repaired and prices returned to normal. Consumers reduced energy use through a combination of new habits and technical improvements. A survey of residential consumers indicated that the average household undertook 10 conservation actions, with major changes in lighting, space heating, fuel switching, and water and appliance use. We propose a method for prioritizing conservation actions for promotion according to their impact in electricity savings (as a function of popularity, effectiveness, and persistence) and a dynamic framework for electricity use before, during, and after a supply disruption (i.e., both the magnitude and rates of change in electricity conservation).     

The direct and indirect household energy requirements in the Republic of Korea from 1980 to 2000—An input–output analysis

As energy conservation can be realized through changes in the composition of goods and services consumed, there is a need to assess indirect and total household energy requirements. The Korean household sector was responsible for about 52% of the national primary energy requirement in the period from 1980 to 2000. Of this total, more than 60% of household energy requirement was indirect. Thus, not only direct but also indirect household energy requirement should be the target of energy conservation policies. Electricity became the main fuel in household energy use in 2000. Households consume more and more electricity intensive goods and services, a sign of increasing living standards. Increases in household consumption expenditure were responsible for a relatively high growth of energy consumption. Switching to consumption of less energy intensive products and decrease in energy intensities of products in 1990s contributed substantially to reduce the increase in the total household energy requirement. A future Korean study should apply a hybrid method as to reduce errors occurred by using uniform (average) prices in constructing energy input–output tables and as to make energy intensities of different years more comparable.     

Direct rebound effect for urban household in China—an empirical study

Household sector has become one important target sector on which the Chinese government implements its energy-saving and emission reduction policies. Improving energy efficiency is the primary method adopted by the Chinese government for energy conservation. However, its real energy-saving effects would be affected greatly owing to energy rebound effects. In this paper, we set up a Linear Approximation of the Almost Ideal Demand System (LA/AIDS) model to estimate the direct rebound effect for urban households in China, and real energy conservation effect of improving energy efficiency is also obtained. The assessment of the rebound has a lot of uncertainty, and therefore, exact figures are hard to determine. The results show that energy rebound for Chinese urban household is approximately 66%. In this regard, the Chinese government could not accomplish the energy conservation target through improving energy efficiency only. Policy supplements like energy pricing reform are also needed.     

Consumer discount rates and energy carrier choices in urban households

Consumer discount rates are good indicators of the potential of energy conservation programmes. They can also be used to evaluate the penetration of different energy carriers and are useful to study the carrier shifts. This paper analyses the trade-off between the capital cost of the energy-efficient device and the operating costs of the standard one using the household energy consumption data of Bangalore, a city in southern India. The results show that households shift from one energy carrier to another if their income increases and the consumer discount rates decrease exponentially with household income. This income-dependent consumer discount rate for the carrier shifts implies that the cost aspects dominates the decisions of Bangalore's households regarding the choice of energy carrier.     

Evaluation of city-scale impact of residential energy conservation measures using the detailed end-use simulation model

Energy conservation policies for the residential sector are evaluated by a model that simulates city-scale energy consumption in the residential sector by considering the diversity of household and building types. In this model, all the households in the city are classified into 380 categories based on the household and building type. The energy consumption for each household category is simulated by the dynamic energy simulation model, which includes an energy use schedule model and a heating and cooling load calculation model. Since the energy usage of each appliance is simulated for every 5 min according to the occupants’ energy usage activity, this model can evaluate not only the energy conservation measures by improving the buildings and appliances but also the measures that involve changing the occupants’ activities. The accuracy of the model is verified by comparing its results with the statistical and the measured data on Osaka City, Japan. Various types of energy conservation measures planned by the Japanese government for the residential sector are simulated and their effects on Osaka City are evaluated quantitatively. The future effects of these combined measures on the energy consumption are also predicted.     

Energy conservation in Chinese housing

In the People's Republic of China (PR China), even though climatic conditions are severe, energy use in buildings has traditionally been insignificant by Western standards. The recent increases in household energy consumption have left two options: increase household energy use at the expense of industrial and environmental gains, or develop policies to conserve or restrict household energy consumption. This paper explores the problems in introducing low-cost energy conservation practices in Henan Province, PR China. The paper describes both the practical problems encountered in the introduction of new building materials and designs and also the institutional barriers that inhibit the development of an energy conservation delivery system. A major theme of this paper is that conventional Western solutions for energy conservation often come up against significant unexpected barriers in developing nations, rendering these solutions ineffective. For instance, the high cost and/or unavailability of materials in many countries require building redesign solutions that do not utilize insulation, vapour barriers, and modern heating and cooling plants. Similarly, the particular political and economic organization of a country may mean that coordination of a regional or national conservation programme will require an approach quite different from the public or private development programmes in Western developed countries.     

Good things come in small packages: is there a common set of motivators for energy behaviour?

Household energy consumption can be curbed by individuals’ energy saving, yet despite many efforts, our energy consumption is not lowering. This study investigated the role of a common set of behavioural determinants for households’ intention to perform four energy-related behaviours: investing in PV cells, turning off apparatus on standby mode, showering less, and replacing old home appliances with new energy-efficient ones. Behavioural determinants—energy awareness, general energy knowledge, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and moral norms—were assessed in a survey (N?=?83) among Swedish residents. Energy awareness was moderately correlated with energy knowledge, but not with respondents’ intentions to perform the behaviours, except for replacing home appliances. Moral norms were judged by respondents as important motivators and were a strong predictor to behavioural intentions to perform all four behaviours. Attitudes likewise were assessed as important motivators and were important predictors to all behavioural intentions except investing in PV cells, which was instead predicted by perceived behavioural control. Respondents’ assessment of beliefs underlying attitudes also differed for investing in PV cells; namely, beliefs about economic benefits were lower. Moreover, respondents felt less morally responsible for investing in PV cells. Concluding, we found no evidence that intentions to engage in four energy-saving behaviours are mediated by general energy knowledge or energy awareness. Determinants to each behaviour differed, where—surprisingly—investment in PV cells stood out as less motivated both by economic incentives and moral concerns, although moral norms were shared motivators across all four behaviours. We discuss different possible interpretations of these findings.     

Materials for energy conservation and storage

Some areas of energy use where improved materials could lead to energy savings are surveyed. Current energy use patterns and their likely evolution to the end of the century are also reviewed so that particular applications may be seen in perspective against overall energy consumption and other energy conservation measures. Energy conservation is viewed both from the point of view of energy inputs to materials and how process improvements might permit savings, and also by considering general modes of energy use—transport and combustion in particular—and assessing some general ways in which conservation could be achieved. Areas such as improved engine-management of internal combustion engined vehicles and improved batteries for electric vehicles, where progress depends very much on materials developments, are surveyed in more detail. The need for improved sensors to measure exhaust gas composition in vehicles is one particular aspect of a general need for improved monitoring to permit better quality control and hence optimal fuel input for industrial processes requiring heat. Energy storage procedures are surveyed, together with a discussion of electricity generating methods and future electricity use. Attention is given to current fuel cell programmes, which offer the potential of increased conversion efficiency of fossil fuel to electricity compared with conventional power stations but where materials problems are critical in determining commercial success, to heat storage materials, and to water electrolysis and hydrogen production as a means of energy storage. The utilisation of electrochemical processes in solids or at surfaces or interfaces is a general theme underlying many of the technologies discussed.     

Household water conservation: The role of indirect energy savings

Recent regulations specify a cost-effectiveness analysis of implementing household water conservation measures to reduce the flow of wastewater as a prerequisite to federal funding of wastewater treatment plant construction. There is a wide variety of devices available to conserve water: hot water as well as water at ambient temperature. In this analysis we use a sample of 23 metropolitan areas to evaluate the indirect household energy savings which results from conservation devices to save hot water.

Devices to conserve hot water are cost-effective in all 23 metropolitan areas up to an equivalent annual cost of $1.50/1000 gal saved under an assumption of no inflation in energy prices, and about $7.00/1000 gal saved under an assumption of 20%/yr inflation in energy prices. The impact of the indirect energy savings can be further illustrated by noting that devices to conserve ambient temperature water are cost-ineffective in all 23 metropolitan areas at equivalent annual costs above $1.00/1000 gal saved. Besides increasing the level of cost-effective household water conservation from 114 gal/day to 146 gal/day for a family of four, while providing significant economic savings, the indirect energy savings from hot-water conservation devices can provide a 46–62% reduction in energy use for residential water heating.     

Responsiveness of low-income households to hybrid price/non-price policies in the presence of energy shortages: evidence from Colombia

At the beginning of 2016, Colombia was experiencing an energy shortage, and in order to avoid mandatory power cuts, the government launched an unexpected hybrid price/non-price energy-saving policy. In this paper, I evaluate how low-income households in a major Colombian city respond to this policy. Using hourly household electricity consumption data, I find that, on average, households reduce electricity consumption by 4.5% as a result of the policy. It is striking that even low-income households, who consume relatively small amounts of electricity, respond to energy-saving policies and engage in conservation behaviors in the short term. In my analysis, I also find that the effect is stronger the higher the household pre-treatment electricity consumption levels and smaller among poorer households. However, the heterogeneity in terms of income level vanishes once I control for household pre-program electricity consumption levels. Finally, my point estimates are comparable to the impact estimates of policies that are similar to the one I analyze in this paper.     

Promoting household energy conservation

It is commonly assumed that households must change their behaviour to reduce the problems caused by increasing levels of fossil energy use. Strategies for behaviour change will be more effective if they target the most important causes of the behaviour in question. Therefore, this paper first discusses the factors influencing household energy use. Three barriers to fossil fuel energy conservation are discussed: insufficient knowledge of effective ways to reduce household energy use, the low priority and high costs of energy savings, and the lack of feasible alternatives. Next, the paper elaborates on the effectiveness and acceptability of strategies aimed to promote household energy savings. Informational strategies aimed at changing individuals’ knowledge, perceptions, cognitions, motivations and norms, as well as structural strategies aimed at changing the context in which decisions are made, are discussed. This paper focuses on the psychological literature on household energy conservation, which mostly examined the effects of informational strategies. Finally, this paper lists important topics for future research.     

Compact fluorescent lighting and residential natural gas consumption: Testing for interactive effects

Replacing incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs) has traditionally been seen as a cost effective means of promoting energy conservation. Recently, however, the magnitude of energy savings associated with CFLs has been called into question. Specifically, recent findings suggest an “interactive effect” associated with the replacement of incandescent light bulbs with CFLs in the residential sector. In this scenario, the reduced wattage of CFLs, relative to incandescent bulbs, generates less heat, which in turn, requires additional natural gas usage during the heating season. Engineering studies suggest the magnitude of the effect is significant in energy terms, which implies that the energy savings associated with CFLs may be significantly overstated. In this paper, we use billing analysis to test for the presence of interactive effects. Our analysis is based on a comprehensive dataset that includes monthly household electricity and natural gas usage, the number of CFL bulbs installed, the installation date, and a set of household characteristics. Our results suggest that CFLs do indeed save electricity. However, we do not find any support for the hypothesis that CFLs cause increased usage of natural gas.     

Residential energy efficiency investment and behavioural response under different electricity pricing schemes: a physical-microeconomic approach

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of electricity price changes and energy efficiency subsidy on household energy efficiency purchase and/or behavioural adjustment decisions. The analysis adds energy efficiency investment to a methodology that merges the physics of energy with microeconomic principles. The physical side informs the amount of electricity used to satisfy services that people desire, while the microeconomic side imposes a utility function that represents a household’s welfare. Several electricity pricing schemes and energy efficiency options are examined, with costs and benefits of each option explicitly modeled in the physical representation. Several insights are derived from performing an analysis for archetypical villas across Saudi Arabia. One, energy efficiency purchases lower the need for energy conservation. Households also lessen the extent to which they practice conservation as energy efficiency subsidies are raised. Additionally, as energy efficiency subsidies and electricity prices rise, the difference in household spending on other goods and services widens between the highest efficiency case and no added efficiency. This indirect rebound causes a situation where firms would increase their production, and thus energy use, to meet the additional demand by households for their goods.