Confronting the energy crisis: Changing behaviours to reduce energy consumption

The current energy crisis calls for energy saving measures to accompany long-term technical and structural solutions. However, a range of barriers makes it hard for consumers to change their energy consumption. Changing behaviour is the result not only of responses to prices but also of expectations, habits, and biases. Policy makers should factor in these behavioural aspects when designing energy saving measures. The choice of message that policymakers send to consumers, how and when the information is provided to households and through which channels can make a difference in changing consumption behaviours. Moreover, it is crucial that the right incentives and policies are in place to ensure that behavioural changes can effectively take place. The effectiveness of energy saving measures should also be monitored to gauge evolutions in behaviours and identify solutions to behavioural barriers.