IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v77y2015icp89-96.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The question of energy reduction: The problem(s) with feedback

Author

Listed:
  • Buchanan, Kathryn
  • Russo, Riccardo
  • Anderson, Ben

Abstract

With smart metering initiatives gaining increasing global popularity, the present paper seeks to challenge the increasingly entrenched view that providing householders with feedback about their energy usage, via an in-home-display, will lead them to substantially reduce their energy consumption. Specifically, we draw on existing quantitative and qualitative evidence to outline three key problems with feedback, namely: (a) the limited evidence of efficacy, (b) the need for user engagement, and (c) the potential for unintended consequences. We conclude by noting that, in their current form, existing in-home-displays may not induce the desired energy-reduction response anticipated by smart metering initiatives. Instead, if smart metering is to effectively reduce energy consumption there is a clear need to develop and test innovative new feedback devices that have been designed with user engagement in mind.

Suggested Citation

  • Buchanan, Kathryn & Russo, Riccardo & Anderson, Ben, 2015. "The question of energy reduction: The problem(s) with feedback," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 89-96.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:77:y:2015:i:c:p:89-96
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2014.12.008
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421514006739
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.enpol.2014.12.008?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ueno, Tsuyoshi & Inada, Ryo & Saeki, Osamu & Tsuji, Kiichiro, 2006. "Effectiveness of an energy-consumption information system for residential buildings," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(8), pages 868-883, August.
    2. Ma, Hengyun & Oxley, Les, 2011. "Are China's energy markets cointegrated?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 398-407, September.
    3. Buchanan, Kathryn & Russo, Riccardo & Anderson, Ben, 2014. "Feeding back about eco-feedback: How do consumers use and respond to energy monitors?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 138-146.
    4. Hengyun Ma & Les Oxley & John Gibson, 2008. "Testing for Energy Market Integration in China," Working Papers in Economics 08/12, University of Canterbury, Department of Economics and Finance.
    5. Ueno, Tsuyoshi & Sano, Fuminori & Saeki, Osamu & Tsuji, Kiichiro, 2006. "Effectiveness of an energy-consumption information system on energy savings in residential houses based on monitored data," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(2), pages 166-183, February.
    6. Chen, Falin & Lu, Shyi-Min & Chi-Chuan, Wang & Chang, Yi-Lin, 2008. "Promotion strategies for renewable energy in Taiwan," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 12(6), pages 1681-1691, August.
    7. Stefano Marmi & Claudio Pacati & Roberto Renò & Wiston Adrián Risso, 2013. "A quantitative approach to Faber's tactical asset allocation," International Journal of Computational Economics and Econometrics, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 3(1/2), pages 91-101.
    8. Hargreaves, Tom & Nye, Michael & Burgess, Jacquelin, 2010. "Making energy visible: A qualitative field study of how householders interact with feedback from smart energy monitors," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(10), pages 6111-6119, October.
    9. Delmas, Magali A. & Fischlein, Miriam & Asensio, Omar I., 2013. "Information strategies and energy conservation behavior: A meta-analysis of experimental studies from 1975 to 2012," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 729-739.
    10. Ian Ayres & Sophie Raseman & Alice Shih, 2009. "Evidence from Two Large Field Experiments that Peer Comparison Feedback Can Reduce Residential Energy Usage," NBER Working Papers 15386, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Zhao, Xiaoli & Li, Na & Ma, Chunbo, 2012. "Residential energy consumption in urban China: A decomposition analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 644-653.
    12. Sorrell, Steve & Dimitropoulos, John & Sommerville, Matt, 2009. "Empirical estimates of the direct rebound effect: A review," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 1356-1371, April.
    13. Raymond Li, 2011. "Energy Futures Prices And The Us Dollar Exchange Rate," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(2-3), pages 62-73, September.
    14. Druckman, Angela & Chitnis, Mona & Sorrell, Steve & Jackson, Tim, 2011. "Missing carbon reductions? Exploring rebound and backfire effects in UK households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(6), pages 3572-3581, June.
    15. Hargreaves, Tom & Nye, Michael & Burgess, Jacquelin, 2013. "Keeping energy visible? Exploring how householders interact with feedback from smart energy monitors in the longer term," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 126-134.
    16. Wang, Shujie & Yuan, Peng & Li, Dong & Jiao, Yuhe, 2011. "An overview of ocean renewable energy in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 91-111, January.
    17. Charles Towe & Constant I. Tra, 2013. "Vegetable Spirits and Energy Policy," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 95(1), pages 1-16.
    18. Kempton, Willett & Layne, Linda L., 1994. "The consumer's energy analysis environment," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(10), pages 857-866, October.
    19. Hong, Gui-Bing & Ma, Chih-Ming & Chen, Hua-Wei & Chuang, Kai-Jen & Chang, Chang-Tang & Su, Te-Li, 2011. "Energy flow analysis in pulp and paper industry," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 3063-3068.
    20. ., 2013. "Qualitative change and quantitative growth," Chapters, in: The Rediscovery of Classical Economics, chapter 3, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    21. Kenneth W Clements & Mei Han & Callum Jones, 2008. "Report on: Mining and Energy Seminar," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 08-17, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kendel, Adnane & Lazaric, Nathalie & Maréchal, Kevin, 2017. "What do people ‘learn by looking’ at direct feedback on their energy consumption? Results of a field study in Southern France," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 593-605.
    2. Bradley, Peter & Coke, Alexia & Leach, Matthew, 2016. "Financial incentive approaches for reducing peak electricity demand, experience from pilot trials with a UK energy provider," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 108-120.
    3. Brown, Marilyn A. & Gumerman, Etan & Sun, Xiaojing & Sercy, Kenneth & Kim, Gyungwon, 2012. "Myths and facts about electricity in the U.S. South," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 231-241.
    4. Liu, Liwei & Ye, Junhong & Zhao, Yufei & Zhao, Erdong, 2015. "The plight of the biomass power generation industry in China – A supply chain risk perspective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 680-692.
    5. Penelope Buckley, 2020. "Prices, information and nudges for residential electricity conservation : A meta-analysis," Post-Print hal-02500507, HAL.
    6. Cotton, Deborah & De Mello, Lurion, 2014. "Econometric analysis of Australian emissions markets and electricity prices," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 475-485.
    7. Buckley, Penelope, 2020. "Prices, information and nudges for residential electricity conservation: A meta-analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    8. Sa, Aida & Thollander, Patrik & Cagno, Enrico, 2017. "Assessing the driving factors for energy management program adoption," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 538-547.
    9. Hanna Mela & Juha Peltomaa & Marja Salo & Kirsi Mäkinen & Mikael Hildén, 2018. "Framing Smart Meter Feedback in Relation to Practice Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-22, October.
    10. David Fredericks & Zhong Fan & Sandra Woolley & Ed de Quincey & Mike Streeton, 2020. "A Decade On, How Has the Visibility of Energy Changed? Energy Feedback Perceptions from UK Focus Groups," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-17, May.
    11. Ian H. Rowlands & Tobi Reid & Paul Parker, 2015. "Research with disaggregated electricity end‐use data in households: review and recommendations," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 4(5), pages 383-396, September.
    12. Darby, Sarah J., 2012. "Metering: EU policy and implications for fuel poor households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 98-106.
    13. Buchanan, Kathryn & Russo, Riccardo & Anderson, Ben, 2014. "Feeding back about eco-feedback: How do consumers use and respond to energy monitors?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 138-146.
    14. Valor, Carmen & Escudero, Carmen & Labajo, Victoria & Cossent, Rafael, 2019. "Effective design of domestic energy efficiency displays: A proposed architecture based on empirical evidence," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1-1.
    15. Weber, Sylvain & Puddu, Stefano & Pacheco, Diana, 2017. "Move it! How an electric contest motivates households to shift their load profile," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 255-270.
    16. Buchanan, Kathryn & Banks, Nick & Preston, Ian & Russo, Riccardo, 2016. "The British public’s perception of the UK smart metering initiative: Threats and opportunities," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 87-97.
    17. Jessica K. Breadsell & Christine Eon & Gregory M. Morrison, 2019. "Understanding Resource Consumption in the Home, Community and Society through Behaviour and Social Practice Theories," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-18, November.
    18. Cellina, Francesca & Fraternali, Piero & Herrera Gonzalez, Sergio Luis & Novak, Jasminko & Gui, Marco & Rizzoli, Andrea Emilio, 2024. "Significant but transient: The impact of an energy saving app targeting Swiss households," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 355(C).
    19. Alberts, Genevieve & Gurguc, Zeynep & Koutroumpis, Pantelis & Martin, Ralf & Muûls, Mirabelle & Napp, Tamaryn, 2016. "Competition and norms: A self-defeating combination?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 504-523.
    20. Musiliu 0. Oseni & Michael G. Poilitt & David M. Retner & Laura-Lucia Richter & Kong Chyong, 2013. "2013 EPRG Public Opinion Survey: Smart Energy Survey — Attitudes and Behaviours," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 1352, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:77:y:2015:i:c:p:89-96. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/enpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.