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Navigating behavioral energy sufficiency. Results from a survey in Swiss cities on potential behavior change

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  • Roman Seidl
  • Corinne Moser
  • Yann Blumer

Abstract

Many countries have some kind of energy-system transformation either planned or ongoing for various reasons, such as to curb carbon emissions or to compensate for the phasing out of nuclear energy. One important component of these transformations is the overall reduction in energy demand. It is generally acknowledged that the domestic sector represents a large share of total energy consumption in many countries. Increased energy efficiency is one factor that reduces energy demand, but behavioral approaches (known as “sufficiency”) and their respective interventions also play important roles. In this paper, we address citizens’ heterogeneity regarding both their current behaviors and their willingness to realize their sufficiency potentials—that is, to reduce their energy consumption through behavioral change. We collaborated with three Swiss cities for this study. A survey conducted in the three cities yielded thematic sets of energy-consumption behavior that various groups of participants rated differently. Using this data, we identified four groups of participants with different patterns of both current behaviors and sufficiency potentials. The paper discusses intervention types and addresses citizens’ heterogeneity and behaviors from a city-based perspective.

Suggested Citation

  • Roman Seidl & Corinne Moser & Yann Blumer, 2017. "Navigating behavioral energy sufficiency. Results from a survey in Swiss cities on potential behavior change," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(10), pages 1-19, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0185963
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0185963
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jessika E. Trancik, 2014. "Renewable energy: Back the renewables boom," Nature, Nature, vol. 507(7492), pages 300-302, March.
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    Cited by:

    1. Szara, Katarzyna, 2024. "Behavioral Aspects of Investments in Renewable Energy Sources on the Example of Podkarpackie Province," Economic and Regional Studies (Studia Ekonomiczne i Regionalne), John Paul II University of Applied Sciences in Biala Podlaska, vol. 17(01), January.
    2. Matthew E. Oliver & Juan Moreno-Cruz & Ross C. Beppler, 2019. "Microeconomics of the rebound effect for residential solar photovoltaic systems," CESifo Working Paper Series 7635, CESifo.
    3. Jungell-Michelsson, Jessica & Heikkurinen, Pasi, 2022. "Sufficiency: A systematic literature review," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    4. Dütschke, Elisabeth & Frondel, Manuel & Schleich, Joachim & Vance, Colin, 2018. "Moral licensing: Another source of rebound?," Ruhr Economic Papers 747, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    5. Dalia Streimikiene, 2023. "Use of Nudges for Promotion of Sustainable Energy Consumption in Households," Contemporary Economics, University of Economics and Human Sciences in Warsaw., vol. 17(1), March.
    6. Matthew J. Burke, 2020. "Energy-Sufficiency for a Just Transition: A Systematic Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-14, May.
    7. Sylwia Słupik & Joanna Kos-Łabędowicz & Joanna Trzęsiok, 2021. "Are You a Typical Energy Consumer? Socioeconomic Characteristics of Behavioural Segmentation Representatives of 8 European Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-28, September.

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