Non-price energy conservation programme and household energy consumption in Bangladesh
In order to meet the growing energy demand in developing countries and the obligation to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in dealing with greenhouse gases emissions mitigation, various governments are striving for higher energy production and better energy conservation while achieving sustainable economic development. As a result, countries across the world are placing increasing emphasis on ways to find an efficient and sustainable use of energy.
The research investigates the role of information for the consumption of electricity. It aims at reducing energy use by providing interventions using social norms and information. We consider three different types of information for treatments:
- Information about their own electricity consumption,
- Information about their own households’ electricity saving potential through expert advice, and
- Social information about their own and a partner household’s electricity consumption
The electricity data is linked to a number of personal characteristics through a series of surveys before, during, and after the study period. The intervention involves 2,000 urban households in Bangladesh who are more likely to use air-conditioning during peak summer season. The project addresses sustainable development challenges by demonstrating simple tools to conserve energy and providing insights into understanding the effectiveness of different behavioural nudges to achieve energy efficiency.
The project, in the long run, aims to address one of the most important energy related issues in Bangladesh – eliminating load shedding by reducing the gap between supply of and demand for electricity. It aims to generate credible and robust findings that may transform the business practices and public policies in the energy market.