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Italian researchers have shown that information conveyed on electricity bills to users can nudge people to save more energy if it includes two types of messages that reinforce each other: a descriptive message on how one’s own energy consumption compares to similar users, and a sign of social approval for energy conservation.
The researchers carried out a randomized trial with 464,523 customers of an Italian electrical utility, who received reports on their energy use by email1. The reports included information on how the user’s energy consumption compared to the average consumption of similar households, and to the most efficient ones. Based on that comparison, users also received an evaluation of their consumption behaviour, ranging from three thumbs up (‘Excellent’) to one thumb (‘You can do better’). Study participants were then randomly assigned to receive additional messages at the bottom of the report, further emphasizing either a descriptive or a directive message about energy conservation – for example that 80% of the utility’s customers take steps to reduce their electricity use, or that 80% consider energy saving an important value. By comparing data on the messages received by users and on their energy consumption, the researchers were able to evaluate the impact of each piece of feedback.
They found that the users who reduced their consumption the most were the ones who received descriptive and directive messages pointing in the same direction: for example, two thumbs up and the information that the most efficient neighbours were using less energy. Conflicting messages – such as ‘three thumbs up’ signalling approval for their energy behaviour, and descriptive feedback showing that the average household consumed more and yet was still labelled ‘efficient’ – were less effective. Being deemed among the most ‘virtuous’ users, in other words, did not act as an incentive to be even more efficient. Adding more information had a limited impact, showing that consistency is more important than abundance of details.
In Italy, smart electricity meters are replacing old meters, providing more detail in real time about consumption patterns. “In this context, algorithms will be increasingly important,” says Massimo Tavoni, a professor at Politecnico di Milano, and among the study authors. This study gives hints on how that data could be used for sending personalised feedback to electricity users. “But differentiating the message according to the audience is a challenge” Tavoni acknowledges. “Much of this data is only partially known for privacy reasons, and there is a trade-off. More information on users’ habits would make it possible to create ad hoc communication campaigns, but it would violate their privacy more.”
“This research gives insight into policy and communication behaviour, something that was missing in the literature.” says Samuele Trestini, associate professor at the University of Padua, who was not involved in the research. “For example, descriptive feedback may induce users with better energy performance to move towards the average user behavior, if this communication is not supported by injunctive social norms with higher relative strength."
According to Giovanna d'Adda, assistant professor at the University of Milan and co-author of the study, “scaling up these interventions can have positive effects both for consumers and society”, not only with respect to electricity consumption. “We want to investigate how behaviour in a certain sphere can influence those in similar fields, for example if being virtuous in energy consumption could also lead to being virtuous in waste recycling or water consumption,” she adds.
