Maryam Keyghobadi; Elaheh Sadat Akbarnia; Hamidreza Pirmorad; Ashraf Sadat Pasandideh
Abstract
The household sector represents the most significant component of electricity consumption, accounting for the majority of total energy use. In recent years, European nations have increasingly recognized households as key actors in energy governance, demonstrating their critical role in achieving ...
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The household sector represents the most significant component of electricity consumption, accounting for the majority of total energy use. In recent years, European nations have increasingly recognized households as key actors in energy governance, demonstrating their critical role in achieving sustainable consumption patterns. Extensive research has therefore focused on how to encourage more sustainable behavior among individuals.This trend is also relevant to Iran, where the household sector accounts for 50.8% of peak-time electricity demand, making it the most significant contributor to consumption during critical periods. As a result, developing effective behavioral policies and reforming consumption patterns in this sector requires regular, nationally representative research to understand how people behave across different segments of society. Therefore, this study investigates electricity consumption behaviors across household groups stratified by three distinct economical status categories. Through empirical analysis, we identify behavioral variations that inform evidence-based policy recommendations for promoting sustainable energy consumption patterns in Iran's residential sector.Methods and MaterialThe statistical population of the current study was citizens over 18 years old across the country. Sampling was done with the online snowball method, and the link of the online questionnaire was distributed through various internet channels such as social networks, e-mail, etc., and 1081 samples were collected. The data analysis was done by SPSS software and the validity, subject, and questions of the research were confirmed by examining the theoretical foundations and choosing the conventional subjects and the approval of experts in the field of energy. The reliability of the consumption behavior variable has been obtained through Cronbach's alpha of 0.69This energy consumption behavior survey, includes a set of behaviors that are performed by family members in different parts of the house. These behaviors have been examined according to the economical status of the household. The set of properties that are related to electricity consumption at home is considered for measuring the variable of the economical status of the household.Results and DiscussionThe average consumption behavior was 56.4873 and the average economical status was 58.2056. The economical status variable is divided into three ranges of high, medium and low economical status. 33% of the sample population was high, 60% medium and 7% low. Pearson's correlation and ANOVA test were used to investigate the relationship between economical status and behavior. The relationship between the economical status and behavior is -0.132, which indicates the inverse relationship between the two variables, so that as the economical status increases, the consumption behavior worsens. The results of the ANOVA test showed that the average difference in consumption behavior among the three economical statuses (high, medium, and low) has been confirmed, and the consumption behavior in low, medium, and high economical status has obtained a higher average, respectively. Also, the results showed that the best behaviors in the field of lighting were recorded in three groups, and the lighting behavior had the lowest average. The best behavior among the low economical status is cleaning behavior, and among the medium and high economical status is lighting.ConclusionThe results of this research indicate that behavioral policymaking in the household sector should be based on knowing consumption behaviors and the motivations related to them. Although the policies of increasing prices in a gradual manner (based on consequence models that consider material incentives to be effective on behavior) may increase the revenues from consumption for the Ministry of Energy, it does not necessarily lead to a decrease in consumption. Because firstly, the behavior is related to the habits of the household lifestyle; secondly, with this type of interventions, behaviors are temporarily changed and after some time, consumption increases again. Because these behaviors are not internalized for consumers and they do not feel the need to change their behavior. Especially in inflationary conditions, the effect of the increase in tariffs becomes weaker and weaker.In general, it is necessary to take into account the high consumption target community in the behavioral policy of the electricity and energy sector. While the recent programs in the country focus most on the less-consuming consumers. Finally, it should be kept in mind that any behavioral policy and consumption pattern modification program should be based on field and national researches; the cultural and climatic differences of different regions should be considered; plans should be tested on a trial and regional basis to identify their strengths and weaknesses and report the results of each national program after implementation and its effects.AcknowledgmentsWe gratefully appreciate the assistance of all participants and colleagues who supported the data collection phase of this research.
