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Switching behavior in the Italian electricity retail market: Logistic and mixed effect Bayesian estimations of consumer choice

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  • Fontana, Magda
  • Iori, Martina
  • Nava, Consuelo Rubina

Abstract

The paper highlights the importance of both local effects and market structure in determining the switching decision in retail electricity markets, and also introduces a new definition of household as the bundle of features of its members. We apply a Bayesian mixed Logit model to analyze the switching behavior in the Italian electricity retail market. The data set includes social, demographic, geographic and economic information regarding 18,448 households and 37,217 individuals together with their opinions, expectations and choices regarding national services. Results show that heterogeneity in the geographic and social context of choice and in the household composition has a major impact on the significance and on the identification of switching determinants implying that there is no one-size-fits-all policy to encourage switching and that further efforts should be dedicated to the definition of an optimal scale of analysis.

Suggested Citation

  • Fontana, Magda & Iori, Martina & Nava, Consuelo Rubina, 2019. "Switching behavior in the Italian electricity retail market: Logistic and mixed effect Bayesian estimations of consumer choice," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 339-351.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:129:y:2019:i:c:p:339-351
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.01.060
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    3. Simone Di Leo & Marta Chicca & Cinzia Daraio & Andrea Guerrini & Stefano Scarcella, 2022. "A Framework for the Analysis of the Sustainability of the Energy Retail Market," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-28, June.
    4. Alexandru MAXIM & Teodora ROMAN, 2019. "Evolution And Outlook Of Entities Along The Electricity Sector Value Chain In Romania," Proceedings of the INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT CONFERENCE, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 13(1), pages 658-665, November.
    5. Heloísa P. Burin & Julio S. M. Siluk & Graciele Rediske & Carmen B. Rosa, 2020. "Determining Factors and Scenarios of Influence on Consumer Migration from the Regulated Market to the Deregulated Electricity Market," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    6. Marco Magnani & Fabio M. Manenti & Paola Valbonesi, 2022. "Measuring Switching Costs in the Italian Residential Electricity Market," "Marco Fanno" Working Papers 0258, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche "Marco Fanno".
    7. Cassetta, Ernesto & Nava, Consuelo R. & Zoia, Maria Grazia, 2022. "A three-step procedure to investigate the convergence of electricity and natural gas prices in the European Union," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    8. Amenta, Carlo & Aronica, Martina & Stagnaro, Carlo, 2022. "Is more competition better? Retail electricity prices and switching rates in the European Union," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    9. Massimo Dragotto & Marco Magnani & Paola Valbonesi, 2021. "Consumer inertia and firm incumbency in liberalised retail electricity markets: an empirical investigation," "Marco Fanno" Working Papers 0277, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche "Marco Fanno".
    10. Erdogan, Murside Rabia & Camgoz, Selin Metin & Karan, Mehmet Baha & Berument, M. Hakan, 2022. "The switching behavior of large-scale electricity consumers in The Turkish electricity retail market," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    11. Esplin, Ryan & Best, Rohan & Scranton, Jessica & Chai, Andreas, 2022. "Who pays the loyalty tax? The relationship between socioeconomic status and switching in Australia's retail electricity markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Liberalized electricity markets; Switching behavior; Bayesian mixed Logit model; Local market heterogeneity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L43 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Legal Monopolies and Regulation or Deregulation
    • D02 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Institutions: Design, Formation, Operations, and Impact
    • C11 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Bayesian Analysis: General

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