Behavioural insights for sustainable energy use

Behavioural insights are increasingly shaping the design, implementation and evaluation of energy policies. This Special Issue aims to broaden and strengthen the evidence base, and policy value of behavioural insights in the context of sustainable energy use. It showcases a plethora of behavioural issues that can help to improve our understanding of the decision-making 'black box' of energy users and the contexts in which behaviours take place. Our editorial focuses on five cross-cutting themes, namely: interdisciplinarity, policy experimentation, non-economic factors, the diffusion of low-carbon innovations, and digitalisation. Findings across these themes reveal various challenges (e.g. timescales of energy behaviours, scaling of policy experiments, heterogeneous treatment effects) and four overarching areas are identified when policy implications are examined horizontally: ambition, integration, cooperation and ethics. We conclude that the application of behavioural insights to sustainable energy use provides a rich body of evidence and approaches to support our understanding of complex policy issues. It is an interdisciplinary and resource-intensive process that can effectively assist policymaking by encouraging behaviour change via more integrated, (cost-) effective interventions. Knowledge exchange between social scientists and policymakers is crucial for behavioural insights to realise their full potential. Ethical considerations call for good research practices and improved governance.

Automated summary

Behavioural insights are increasingly important in shaping energy policies. This Special Issue focuses on expanding the evidence base and policy value of behavioural insights in sustainable energy use. It highlights various behavioural issues and identifies five key themes, including interdisciplinary approaches, policy experimentation, non-economic factors, diffusion of low-carbon innovations, and digitalisation. The application of behavioural insights provides a rich body of evidence and approaches to support policymaking, promoting behaviour change for more effective interventions.