Behavioral Economics and Energy Conservation – A Systematic Review of Non-price Interventions and Their Causal Effects

B-Tier
Journal: Ecological Economics
Year: 2018
Volume: 148
Issue: C
Pages: 178-210

Authors (2)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Research from economics and psychology suggests that behavioral interventions can be a powerful climate policy instrument. This paper provides a systematic review of the existing empirical evidence on non-price interventions targeting energy conservation behavior of private households. Specifically, we analyze four nudge-like interventions referred to as social comparison, commitment devices, goal setting, and labeling in 44 international studies comprising 105 treatments. This paper differs from previous systematic reviews by solely focusing on studies that permit the identification of causal effects. We find that all four interventions have the potential to significantly reduce energy consumption of private households, yet effect sizes vary immensely. We conclude by emphasizing the importance of impact evaluations before rolling out behavioral policy interventions at scale.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:ecolec:v:148:y:2018:i:c:p:178-210
Journal Field
Environment
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-24