Making the Connection: Linking our everyday energy use with global energy challenges

The Rural Policy Hub's 2016 ‘Making the Connection’ report includes the results of a nationwide survey of 1,000 members of the public. It provides vital insights into the states of mind of Irish people and how they view and understand their energy use and its connection to macro-energy policy issues. 

Key Results 1:

• When asked what Ireland’s 2020 renewable energy targets are, the following was the level of correct responses:
  • Electricity         1%
  • Transport         0%
  • Heat                0%
• 58% of respondents listed ESB or Electric Ireland as their electricity supplier which assuming that only a small proportion have changed supplier and changed back reflects the approximately 60% of domestic users who had not switched in early 2016
• 22% have day/night meters but only half of those people use electricity during night-time hours when electricity is less than half price!
• 90% of the population use fossil fuels for their primary heating
• 70% of respondents listed peat in either turf or Bord na Mona briquettes form as their most used secondary fuel

The study (supported by SEAI) builds on earlier research carried out for two October 2014 reports, one by the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform (DPER) on behavioural economics and the second on energy awareness and public consultation carried out by The Rural Policy Hub for Donegal County Council (also supported by SEAI).

The  thesis of ‘Making the Connection’ is that domestic energy consumers will be more energy efficient if they properly understand and appreciate the connection between their own energy use behaviour and big-picture energy issues such as security of energy supply, renewable energy targets and climate change.

30 recommendations are made from the very simple such as commissioning billboard ads to the development of a state-of-the-art energy museum at Poolbeg in Dublin.  The latter will not only raise the profile of energy issues but will also become an internationally lauded must-see visitor attraction in an area of the city synonymous with energy since the first electricity power station opened there in 1903.

‘Making the Connection’ comprises three elements of research: public survey, stakeholder consultation and desk research.  The main thrust of the study is the nationwide public survey.  The survey questionnaire was designed to achieve as high a completion rate as possible.  It was structured in four parts as follows:

• Demographic profile including geographical location and setting i.e. county and rural or urban
• Energy sources in the home: electricity/gas suppliers, primary heating, secondary heating, hot water, fuel use, boiler maintenance and home insulation
• Energy use behaviour and connections made to macro issues, linkages to market issues such as demand, pricing, billing as well as renewable energy targets and knowledge of energy efficiency grants
• Open questions that will assist in the development of policy and models of communication regarding energy efficiency, and the connection between micro and macro energy issues.

Because the timing of the study design coincided with COP21 in Paris in December 2015, it was decided to start the survey before the launch of COP21 and then examine the impact that the increase in media coverage would have on people’s responses during and after that event.  People were asked to state Always, Sometimes or Never in response to the following statements.  The graph below shows the differences before and after media highlighing climate change.

It is evident that increased media coverage of a specific issue did indeed raise people's awareness and made them think more about their energy use habits.

Tomorrow's blog will provide more statistics and examine people's opinions on national energy policy development.