Public energy conservation behavior and the impact of tiered pricing: Based on water, electricity and gas consumption measurements in typical urban households in China

Domestic energy consumption primarily encompasses individual consumption behavior within households, making it imperative to establish an effective mechanism through energy policies to regulate domestic energy usage. Evaluating the implementation effects of residential tiered pricing policies for electricity, gas, and water is of paramount importance, along with studying the influencing factors on household energy consumption to implement differentiated energy policies. This study employing a regression discontinuity model to examine the effectiveness of an energy tiered pricing policy while constructing a structural equation model using micro research data to elucidate the factors impacting public conservation behavior. The findings indicate that: (1) The impact of residential energy tiered pricing policy based on Ramsay pricing strategy is limited in reducing residential demand for energy. (2) The influence of fundamental variables derived from the theory of planned behavior and normative activation model on energy-saving behavior is examined. (3) Residents' perceptions regarding the economic benefits, environmental benefits, and ease of use associated with the policy exhibit a positive correlation with their engagement in energy-saving practices. Gender, age, education level, and income do not demonstrate a significant moderating effect on energy-saving behavior. This study offers policy inspiration for further optimizing the tiered price system targeting urban residents.