IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/engenv/v31y2020i4p676-691.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Conjoint analysis of Japanese households’ energy-saving behavior after the earthquake: The role of the preferences for renewable energy

Author

Listed:
  • Shin Kinoshita

Abstract

Energy savings among households is an important energy challenge in Japan. After the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, electricity shortages became a worry because nuclear power plants ceased operations. The conditions that households require to save electricity are analyzed in the paper by a conjoint analysis. An annual electricity bill, CO 2 emissions, a stable electricity supply, and energy sources that generate electricity are considered. The role of energy sources, especially renewable energy, in energy savings is focused. When renewable energy such as solar and wind power is used, households who prefer it might use less electricity as well. A random parameter logit model is used for estimation. The promotion of renewable energy and energy savings should be encouraged in Japan’s official energy policy. If electricity generated by renewable energy is provided, households that prefer renewable energy choose such an electricity and will reduce their electricity usage. As a result, the promotion of renewable energy and energy savings could be addressed simultaneously. The estimation results indicated that households would save more electricity if an annual electricity bill is reduced. In addition, they also would save more electricity if CO 2 emissions are reduced and if a stable electricity supply is secured. If nuclear power is used for electricity generation, they do not use less electricity. If renewable energy is provided, they tend to use less electricity. Thus, renewable energy provides incentives for households to reduce electricity usage. It is possible to promote energy savings by utilizing consumers’ interest in renewable energy.

Suggested Citation

  • Shin Kinoshita, 2020. "Conjoint analysis of Japanese households’ energy-saving behavior after the earthquake: The role of the preferences for renewable energy," Energy & Environment, , vol. 31(4), pages 676-691, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:engenv:v:31:y:2020:i:4:p:676-691
    DOI: 10.1177/0958305X19882386
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0958305X19882386
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/0958305X19882386?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Edomah, Norbert & Foulds, Chris & Jones, Aled, 2017. "Influences on energy supply infrastructure: A comparison of different theoretical perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 765-778.
    2. Kenichi Mizobuchi & Kenji Takeuchi, 2012. "Using Economic Incentives to Reduce Electricity Consumption: A field Experiment in Matsuyama, Japan," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 2(4), pages 318-332.
    3. Murakami, Kayo & Ida, Takanori & Tanaka, Makoto & Friedman, Lee, 2015. "Consumers' willingness to pay for renewable and nuclear energy: A comparative analysis between the US and Japan," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 178-189.
    4. Louviere,Jordan J. & Hensher,David A. & Swait,Joffre D. With contributions by-Name:Adamowicz,Wiktor, 2000. "Stated Choice Methods," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521788304.
    5. Allcott, Hunt, 2011. "Social norms and energy conservation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(9-10), pages 1082-1095, October.
    6. Morita, Tamaki & Managi, Shunsuke, 2015. "Consumers’ willingness to pay for electricity after the Great East Japan Earthquake," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 82-105.
    7. Poortinga, Wouter & Steg, Linda & Vlek, Charles & Wiersma, Gerwin, 2003. "Household preferences for energy-saving measures: A conjoint analysis," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 49-64, February.
    8. Mizobuchi, Kenichi & Takeuchi, Kenji, 2013. "The influences of financial and non-financial factors on energy-saving behaviour: A field experiment in Japan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 775-787.
    9. Shin Kinoshita, 2017. "Japanese Households Energy Saving Behaviors Toward Social Risks by Conjoint Analysis," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 7(6), pages 78-84.
    10. José A. Pellerano & Michael K. Price & Steven L. Puller & Gonzalo E. Sánchez, 2017. "Do Extrinsic Incentives Undermine Social Norms? Evidence from a Field Experiment in Energy Conservation," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 67(3), pages 413-428, July.
    11. Allcott, Hunt, 2011. "Social norms and energy conservation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(9), pages 1082-1095.
    12. Tanaka, Makoto & Ida, Takanori, 2013. "Voluntary electricity conservation of households after the Great East Japan Earthquake: A stated preference analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 296-304.
    13. Koichiro Ito & Takanori Ida & Makoto Tanaka, 2018. "Moral Suasion and Economic Incentives: Field Experimental Evidence from Energy Demand," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 10(1), pages 240-267, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Choi, Sunghee & Hwang, Seok-Joon & Denzau, Arthur T., 2021. "Do households conserve electricity when they receive signals of greater consumption than neighbours? The Korean case," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C).
    2. Martínez-Cruz, Adán L. & Núñez, Héctor M., 2021. "Tension in Mexico's energy transition: Are urban residential consumers in Aguascalientes willing to pay for renewable energy and green jobs?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    3. Jihee Lee & HyungBin Moon & Jongsu Lee, 2021. "Consumers’ heterogeneous preferences toward the renewable portfolio standard policy: An evaluation of Korea’s energy transition policy," Energy & Environment, , vol. 32(4), pages 648-667, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shin Kinoshita, 2017. "Japanese Households Energy Saving Behaviors Toward Social Risks by Conjoint Analysis," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 7(6), pages 78-84.
    2. Jaime Torres, Mónica M. & Carlsson, Fredrik, 2018. "Direct and spillover effects of a social information campaign on residential water-savings," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 222-243.
    3. Spandagos, Constantine & Baark, Erik & Ng, Tze Ling & Yarime, Masaru, 2021. "Social influence and economic intervention policies to save energy at home: Critical questions for the new decade and evidence from air-condition use," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    4. Fettermann, Diego Castro & Cavalcante, Caroline Gobbo Sá & Ayala, Néstor Fabián & Avalone, Marianne Costa, 2020. "Configuration of a smart meter for Brazilian customers," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    5. Andrea La Nauze, 2023. "Motivation Crowding in Peer Effects: The Effect of Solar Subsidies on Green Power Purchases," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 105(6), pages 1465-1480, November.
    6. Shen, Meng & Cui, Qingbin & Fu, Liping, 2015. "Personality traits and energy conservation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 322-334.
    7. Mahmoodi, Jasmin & Prasanna, Ashreeta & Hille, Stefanie & Patel, Martin K. & Brosch, Tobias, 2018. "Combining “carrot and stick” to incentivize sustainability in households," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 31-40.
    8. Leandra Scharnhorst & Thorben Sandmeier & Armin Ardone & Wolf Fichtner, 2021. "The Impact of Economic and Non-Economic Incentives to Induce Residential Demand Response—Findings from a Living Lab Experiment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-24, April.
    9. Fanghella, Valeria & Ploner, Matteo & Tavoni, Massimo, 2021. "Energy saving in a simulated environment: An online experiment of the interplay between nudges and financial incentives," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 93(C).
    10. Holly Berman & Rachael Shwom & Cara Cuite, 2019. "Becoming FEW Conscious: A Conceptual Typology of Household Behavior Change Interventions Targeting the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-24, September.
    11. Gołębiowska, Bernadeta & Bartczak, Anna & Budziński, Wiktor, 2021. "Impact of social comparison on preferences for Demand Side Management in Poland," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    12. Stojanovski, Ognen & Leslie, Gordon W. & Wolak, Frank A. & Huerta Wong, Juan Enrique & Thurber, Mark C., 2020. "Increasing the energy cognizance of electricity consumers in Mexico: Results from a field experiment," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    13. Fischbacher, Urs & Schudy, Simeon & Teyssier, Sabrina, 2021. "Heterogeneous preferences and investments in energy saving measures," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    14. Céline Nauges & Dale Whittington, 2019. "Social Norms Information Treatments in the Municipal Water Supply Sector: Some New Insights on Benefits and Costs," Water Economics and Policy (WEP), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 5(03), pages 1-40, July.
    15. Bernadeta Gołębiowska & Anna Bartczak & Mikołaj Czajkowski, 2020. "Energy Demand Management and Social Norms," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-20, July.
    16. Takanori Ida, Kayo Murakami, and Makoto Tanaka, 2016. "Electricity demand response in Japan: Experimental evidence from a residential photovoltaic power-generation system," Economics of Energy & Environmental Policy, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 1).
    17. Weber, Sylvain & Puddu, Stefano & Pacheco, Diana, 2017. "Move it! How an electric contest motivates households to shift their load profile," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 255-270.
    18. Brülisauer, Marcel & Goette, Lorenz & Jiang, Zhengyi & Schmitz, Jan & Schubert, Renate, 2020. "Appliance-specific feedback and social comparisons: Evidence from a field experiment on energy conservation," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    19. Schleich, Joachim & Gassmann, Xavier & Faure, Corinne & Meissner, Thomas, 2016. "Making the implicit explicit: A look inside the implicit discount rate," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 321-331.
    20. Kenichi Mizobuchi & Kenji Takeuchi, 2012. "The Influences of Economic and Psychological Factors on Energy-Saving Behavior: A Field Experiment in Matsuyama, Japan," Discussion Papers 1206, Graduate School of Economics, Kobe University.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:engenv:v:31:y:2020:i:4:p:676-691. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.