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Experimental Evidence on the Effect of Information and Pricing on Residential Electricity Consumption

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  • Jesse Burkhardt
  • Kenneth Gillingham
  • Praveen K. Kopalle

Abstract

This study examines a field experiment in Texas that includes pricing and informational interventions to encourage energy conservation during summer peak load days when the social cost of generation is the highest. We estimate that our critical peak pricing intervention reduces electricity consumption by 14%. Using unique high frequency appliance-level data, we can attribute 74% of this response to air conditioning. In contrast, we find minimal response to active information provision and conservation appeals. A complementary experimental program also lowers nighttime prices during the off-peak season, providing the first evidence of electric vehicle loadshifting in response to price.

Suggested Citation

  • Jesse Burkhardt & Kenneth Gillingham & Praveen K. Kopalle, 2019. "Experimental Evidence on the Effect of Information and Pricing on Residential Electricity Consumption," NBER Working Papers 25576, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:25576
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    Cited by:

    1. Jacobsen, Grant D. & Stewart, James I., 2022. "How do consumers respond to price complexity? Experimental evidence from the power sector," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 116(C).
    2. Blijlevens, Janneke & Chuah, Swee-Hoon & Neelim, Ananta & Prasch, Johanna E. & Skali, Ahmed, 2024. "Not all about the money: Service quality information improves consumer decision-making," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    3. Qiu, Yueming Lucy & Wang, Yi David & Iseki, Hiroyuki & Shen, Xingchi & Xing, Bo & Zhang, Huiming, 2022. "Empirical grid impact of in-home electric vehicle charging differs from predictions," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
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    5. Kapeller, Rudolf & Cohen, Jed J. & Kollmann, Andrea & Reichl, Johannes, 2023. "Incentivizing residential electricity consumers to increase demand during periods of high local solar generation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PA).
    6. Hofmann, Matthias & Lindberg, Karen Byskov, 2024. "Evidence of households' demand flexibility in response to variable hourly electricity prices – Results from a comprehensive field experiment in Norway," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    7. Megan R. Bailey & David P. Brown & Blake Shaffer & Frank A. Wolak, 2023. "Show Me the Money! Incentives and Nudges to Shift Electric Vehicle Charge Timing," Working Papers 2023-8, University of Alberta, Department of Economics.
    8. Garnache, Cloé & Hernaes, Øystein & Imenes, Anders Gravir, 2022. "Which Households Respond to Electricity Peak Pricing amid High Levels of Electrification?," IZA Discussion Papers 15194, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Fu, Zheng & Novan, Kevin & Smith, Aaron, 2024. "Do time-of-use prices deliver energy savings at the right time?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    10. Omar Isaac Asensio & Camila Z. Apablaza & M. Cade Lawson & Sarah Elizabeth Walsh, 2022. "A field experiment on workplace norms and electric vehicle charging etiquette," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 26(1), pages 183-196, February.
    11. Linn, Joshua & Liang, Jing & Qiu, Yueming, 2022. "Rising US Income Inequality and Declining Residential Electricity Consumption: Is There a Link?," RFF Working Paper Series 22-09, Resources for the Future.
    12. Harding, Matthew & Kettler, Kyle & Lamarche, Carlos & Ma, Lala, 2023. "The (alleged) environmental and social benefits of dynamic pricing," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 574-593.
    13. Asmare, Fissha & Jaraitė, Jūratė & Kažukauskas, Andrius, 2021. "The effect of descriptive information provision on electricity consumption: Experimental evidence from Lithuania," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    14. Joshua Blonz & Karen Palmer & Casey J. Wichman & Derek C. Wietelman, 2025. "Smart Thermostats, Automation, and Time-Varying Prices," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 17(1), pages 90-125, January.
    15. Sibel Sozuer & Gregory S. Carpenter & Praveen K. Kopalle & Leigh M. McAlister & Donald R. Lehmann, 2020. "The past, present, and future of marketing strategy," Marketing Letters, Springer, vol. 31(2), pages 163-174, September.
    16. Teevrat Garg & Ryan Hanna & Jeffrey Myers & Sebastian Tebbe & David G. Victor, 2024. "Electric Vehicle Charging at the Workplace: Experimental Evidence on Incentives and Environmental Nudges," CESifo Working Paper Series 11445, CESifo.
    17. Goette, Lorenz & Gerster, Andreas & Andor, Mark, 2020. "Disaggregate Consumption Feedback and Energy Conservation," CEPR Discussion Papers 14954, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    18. Hortay, Olivér & Kökény, László, 2020. "A villamosenergia-fogyasztás elhalasztásával kapcsolatos lakossági attitűd felmérése Magyarországon [A survey of popular attitudes to deferment of electricity consumption in Hungary]," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(7), pages 657-687.
    19. Adélaïde Fadhuile & Daniel Llerena & Béatrice Roussillon, 2023. "Intrinsic Motivation to Promote the Development of Renewable Energy : A Field Experiment from Household Demand," Working Papers hal-03977597, HAL.
    20. Liang, Jing & Qiu, Yueming (Lucy) & Xing, Bo, 2022. "Impacts of the co-adoption of electric vehicles and solar panel systems: Empirical evidence of changes in electricity demand and consumer behaviors from household smart meter data," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    21. Leslie A. Martin, 2022. "Driving on Sunbeams: Interactions Between Price Incentives for Electric Vehicles, Residential Solar Photovoltaics and Household Battery Systems," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 41(4), pages 369-384, December.
    22. Jiyong Eom & Frank A. Wolak, 2020. "Breaking Routine for Energy Savings: An Appliance-level Analysis of Small Business Behavior under Dynamic Prices," NBER Working Papers 27263, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    23. Peter M. Schwarz, Nathan Duma, and Ercument Camadan, 2023. "Compensating Solar Prosumers Using Buy-All, Sell-All as an Alternative to Net Metering and Net Purchasing: Total Use, Rebound, and Cross Subsidization," The Energy Journal, International Association for Energy Economics, vol. 0(Number 1).
    24. Arlt, Marie-Louise & Chassin, David & Rivetta, Claudio & Sweeney, James, 2024. "Impact of real-time pricing and residential load automation on distribution systems," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • L94 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Electric Utilities
    • L98 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Government Policy
    • Q41 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Demand and Supply; Prices
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy

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