Behavioural factors' influence on energy savings

Abstract

Energy consumption depends on various factors, such as equipment's energy efficiency, comfort level, consumer's behaviour and income. Equipment's efficiency and consumer's behaviour are crucial to achieve energy savings. The present paper focuses on the relation between energy savings and consumer's behaviour. For the majority of demand side management measures, energy savings obtained are affected by behavioural factors, introduced by the consumers. The Portuguese Energy Services Regulatory Authority (ERSE) has developed a competitive mechanism for promoting efficiency in electricity consumption called PPEC (Demand-side Electricity Efficiency Plan). In this plan, energy efficiency measures, promoted by suppliers, network operators, consumers and energy agencies, etc, are evaluated and ranked by merit order. The merit of each measure is defined by a cost-benefit analysis. A methodology to consider the behavioural factors in the merit analysis of energy efficiency measures is presented in the paper.

Results from a competitive tender mechanism to promote energy efficiency in Portugal

“…If there is great dependence between energy savings and consumer behaviour, than the potential savings are reduced [11]. The same is done with relation to free ridership effects, reducing the savings of measures with potential of free ridership.…”

Residential lighting load profile modelling

“…can be introduced to contribute and improve the modelling, estimation or prediction of lighting load techniques within the residential sector. Techniques available for prediction or estimation of energy usage or lighting load include analytical methods, empirical methods and modelling methods [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11]. Most of these methods do not rely on occupant behaviour from survey data/long-term observations.…”