vgbe energy journal 7 (2022) - International Journal for Generation and Storage of Electricity and Heat

IEA – Empowering people to act
Fig. 4. Rijksoverheid (2022). Ze took de knop om, https://zetookdeknopom.nl/.
eration campaign broadcast in more than
40 countries. (F i g u r e 4 )
––
A dedicated website with a catchy name is
easier for citizens to find and share, and
allows easier impact tracking.
––
Using social media to spread the message
more widely. Many campaigns centre on
advertisements in mainstream media
such as newspaper and radio, but social
media helps to remain relevant and reach
more people effectively. In Japan, the internet,
SMS, email and telephone were all
used to reach citizens to communicate
about the recent energy supply crisis.
––
Building on previous experience and
gathering data from each campaign is key
to improving future performance. Measurement
of baselines and impacts is essential.
Insights can be gained by engaging
with focus groups and conducting population-wide
representative surveys before
and after campaigns.
An important consideration is the question
of who is the messenger. Many campaigns,
implicitly or explicitly, involve the government
speaking to citizens. Their impact thus
depends on how people perceive the government’s
trustworthiness, authority and credibility
on the topic. Similar questions arise
when governments partner with companies
such as energy utilities. Such campaigns are
unsuccessful if citizens feel they are being
asked to solve a problem they see as being
someone else’s responsibility. Some campaigns
employ celebrities or ‘influencers’,
which can provide greater recognition if
done well, but need to be carefully thought
out in terms of likely effectiveness, credibility
and reputational risk.
Simple, well-structured and well-communicated
energy-saving advice can motivate
citizens to act. For example, clear messages
such as those in IEA/European Commission’s
Playing My Part have received widespread
recognition, such as the significant
impact of simply turning down heat thermostats
at home. However, while good information
is essential, it is not enough. Without
well-crafted messages and design, simply
presenting facts such as how much energy
can be saved will not lead to significant behaviour
change. To achieve sustained
change, policymakers can learn from behavioural
science and employ digital tools,
nudges and incentives to continue stimulating
energy-saving behaviour. The following
tips have been shown to deliver better results.
(F i g u r e 5 )
––
Real-time information on energy use can
influence user behaviour. South Africa
provided real-time information on the
electricity shortfall via a “Power Alert”
message, displayed at 30-minute intervals
on the internet and on television between
17:30 and 20:30, informing the public of
immediate measures to reduce the peakload
crisis. Each message resulted in
quantifiable savings. Data shows that in
the US, real-time feedback to customers
can result in up to 15 % energy savings. In
the UK, households with smart meters
and in-home displays, providing real-time
consumption information, ended up using
1.5 % less natural gas and 2.2 % less electricity
in 2011, compared with homes with
conventional meters. India’s dashboard,
for instance, demonstrates energy savings,
costs savings and emissions savings
economy-wide and by region.
––
Utilities can play a key role through demand
response programmes. In California,
communication with citizens via
apps, SMS, and email is used to lower energy
demand at peak times, when the system
is under most pressure . Such methods
have been deployed in many countries,
including in recent months in Japan,
France, the US and others.
––
Feedback mechanisms relying on social
norms and comparisons used in home energy
reports (HERs) have been shown to
reduce residential electricity consumption
by 2.2 % and natural gas consumption
by up to 1.6 %. HERs translate complex,
and sometimes obscure aspects of
energy consumption information and tariffs,
into user-friendly language and visuals.
Japan’s Ministry of Environment
worked with four major utilities across
Japan to send quarterly HERs, containing
personalised energy use, to 300 000
households. On average the households
receiving these reports used 2% less energy.
––
A set of coordinated ‘nudges’ can increase
the impact. For instance, the so-called
just-in-time and right-in-place prompts
used in Switzerland resulted in a reduction
of energy and water consumption of
22 % among 620 households. In this case,
a smart shower meter was installed between
the showerhead and shower hose
and displayed water temperature, energy
and water consumption, energy efficiency
rating, and a polar bear animation. The
European Commission-funded, Nudge
Project, is testing various behavioural interventions
in Greece, Belgium, Germany,
Portugal and Croatia.
––
Setting energy-saving defaults is an effective
way to rely on consumers taking the
path of least resistance. In order to reduce
energy consumption due to over-cooling,
the Indian government mandated a 24C
default cooling temperature for all new
air conditioners. Consumers have the option
to adjust the settings, but many stay
at the default, leading to significant energy
savings.
––
Appeal to people’s emotions with stories
and messages focusing on multiple bene-
Combining information with
behavioural insights
Fig. 5. Opower by Oracle (2022), Demand Side-Management https://www.oracle.com/industries/
utilities/opower-energy-efficiency/what-is-opower/.
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