Switching Off: Energy Saving Goals Outshine Incentives-Evidence from a Field Experiment
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Date
2025-06
Publication Type
Journal Article
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yes
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Abstract
Feedback interventions are a promising tool for promoting household energy conservation and addressing climate change. This study examines whether their effectiveness improves with incentivized energy saving goals through a field experiment involving 422 Singaporean households over eight months. All treatment groups received tailored feedback reports, energy saving goals, and tips. Two groups also received additional incentives: monetary rewards or environmental donations. Households receiving only feedback, goals and savings tips reduced electricity use by 16% compared to the control group, but those offered additional monetary or environmental incentives achieved no further savings. Notabl the effects persisted marginally post-intervention in the goal treatment. These results indicate that low-cost behavioral strategies like feedback, savings tips and goal setting can be as effective as costly incentives, providing a scalable and economical pathway for energy conservation initiatives.
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published
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Journal / series
Volume
88 (6)
Pages / Article No.
1499 - 1540
Publisher
Springer
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Software
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Subject
Energy conservation; Incentives; Feedback; Goal-setting; Field experiment