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Why Low-Carbon Publicity Effect Limits? The Role of Heterogeneous Intention in Reducing Household Energy Consumption

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  • Jin Zhang

    (Centre for Energy, Environment & Economy Research, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
    School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100083, China
    Business School, Henan University of Engineering, Zhengzhou 451191, China)

  • Lianrui Ma

    (Centre for Energy, Environment & Economy Research, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China)

  • Jinkai Li

    (Centre for Energy, Environment & Economy Research, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450000, China
    Institute for Energy Economics and Sustainability, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China)

Abstract

Low-carbon knowledge is seen as having a key role in interfering with household energy consumption behaviors by wide consensus from political and academic areas. Whether low-carbon publicity will help to reduce household energy consumption is still in dispute. By constructing an integrated knowledge-intention-behavior model and using 1335 detailed survey questionnaires of household energy behavior in Henan Province, the central area in China, this paper finds that in the developing area low-carbon knowledge or publicity cannot positively impact household energy-saving behavior even if mediated by energy awareness and energy-saving attitudes. Low-carbon knowledge does improve energy-saving attitude and attitude does not decrease household energy consumption directly. Familiarity with particular energy-saving knowledge would decrease the household energy consumption but not significantly in the statistics. Path analysis unfolds the reason that the heterogeneous effects of purchase-based intention and habitual intention explain energy consumption behavior. Subgroup analysis supports those economic factors of income and energy prices play key roles in explaining such household energy consumption behavior in the rapid urbanization area. This paper gives new evidence on the residential energy-saving behavior intervention among developing areas.

Suggested Citation

  • Jin Zhang & Lianrui Ma & Jinkai Li, 2021. "Why Low-Carbon Publicity Effect Limits? The Role of Heterogeneous Intention in Reducing Household Energy Consumption," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-17, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:22:p:7634-:d:679724
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    2. Shali Wang & Jiaxi Wu & Yunan Peng & Jane Xu & Lisa Leinonen & Yuyu Wang & Zheng Meng, 2022. "Influence of Residential Photovoltaic Promotion Policy on Installation Intention in Typical Regions of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-30, July.
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    5. Guo, Ji & Xu, Yuanjing & Qu, Yao & Wang, Yiting & Wu, Xianhua, 2023. "Exploring factors affecting household energy consumption in the internet era: Empirical evidence from Chinese households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    6. Behnam Ata & Parisa Pakrooh & Ayoub Barkat & Ramzi Benhizia & János Pénzes, 2022. "Inequalities in Regional Level Domestic CO 2 Emissions and Energy Use: A Case Study of Iran," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-26, May.
    7. Yuan Wu & Jin Zhang & Shoulin Liu & Lianrui Ma, 2022. "Does Government-Led Publicity Enhance Corporate Green Behavior? Empirical Evidence from Green Xuanguan in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-32, March.

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