Household energy choices

This paper offers insights on the factors that determine household choices related to energy use, based on data from the third OECD Survey on Environmental Policies and Individual Behaviour Change (EPIC). The analysis profiles households according to patterns in reported energy use and investment in energy-related technologies, assesses the factors driving such decisions and estimates households’ willingness to pay to reduce the emissions of the electricity they use. Results suggest that the feasibility of installing low-emissions energy technologies appears to remain a key obstacle to their uptake, and that households are willing to pay a small but positive premium for electricity produced with fewer emissions. The presence of cross-country differences in behaviours and preferences signals the importance of considering local factors in approaches to energy policies. Environmental concern and environmental motivation increase engagement in sustainable choices, pointing to the cross-cutting relevance of policy efforts to improve environmental knowledge and awareness.