Behavioural insights into energy consumption in times of crisis

Abstract

We study the impact of four different information framing methods on household energy consumption among 30,000 households in Romania. In a field experiment, households were randomly allocated to either the control group or one of four experimental groups. The framing of the mail focused on different benefits: i) individual economic benefits, ii) environmental benefits, iii) individual health framing, and iv) community health framing. Using a difference-in-difference approach, we show that tailored information interventions significantly influence household energy consumption behaviours. The results indicate that the overall treatment effect led to a significant 1.5 % reduction in electricity consumption compared to the control group. Treated households reduced their electricity consumption by 48 kWh annually, resulting in total savings in the treatment group of approx. 718 MWh/year. Among the specific treatments, the “Individual Health” and “Collective Health” interventions showed the most substantial impact. The “Individual Health” treatment resulted in a 2.9 % reduction, while the “Collective Health” treatment achieved a 4.3 % reduction in electricity consumption. These results highlight the effectiveness of health-related messaging in promoting energy conservation.