Making the Connection Part 3

As we noted in earlier blogs, Making the Connection study was based on two 2014 reports.  One of those was a study carried out by The Rural Policy Hub for Donegal Co Council.  That Energy Awareness Report’s results showed that the public’s knowledge and comprehension levels of macro-energy issues and policy are extremely low.  Furthermore, the levels of misinformation, misinterpretation and misunderstanding are high.  Lack of knowledge as to the source of Ireland’s electricity generation fuel was a key finding in relation to this ‘Making the Connection’ study as it is suggested that if the public realize that we are overwhelmingly reliant on imported fossil fuels and the precarious nature of that situation, they will be more willing to deploy energy efficiency solutions in their homes.

The public is very willing to reduce their use and in the Making the Connection study this is what they had to say:


willingnesstoreduceenergyuse.png


Two of the above are very interesting: the first is the delivery of information in Irish sign language because written English is not necessarily the first language or understood by many deaf people.  The second comment to be highlighted is that of the Westmeath I.T. worker,

...if there was a positive incentive rather than a negative punishment

This opinion could have impacts on the water issues currently gripping the country again!


Results of the 2014 Energy Awareness study included the following:

  • Only 3% of the public participating in the study correctly identified whether a given energy type was fossil fuel, renewable energy or neither
  • Only 7% of respondents knew that Eirgrid is responsible for Ireland’s electricity transmission system
  • 41% are convinced that the ‘ESB’ is the body within whose remit the Grid - and almost everything else to do with energy - falls
  • Only 7% of respondents named SEAI as the provider of information regarding energy efficiency and awareness
  • 48% of people do not know who is responsible for markets and pricing
  • 80% of the study population were not aware of the public consultation for the energy Green Paper earlier in 2014
  • An enormous 77% of respondents think that Ireland should generate revenue from exporting renewable energy!!!
  • A very low number of participants have ever contributed to a public consultation document but 77% are willing to participate if they know that the opportunity is available to them
  • The majority of respondents did not understand what is meant by ‘energy security’
  • There is huge confusion about the percentage of totally Irish sourced electricity with extremes from 100% Irish sourced to 10% Irish sourced (the current ad regarding wind energy in Ireland gives this information although it stops short of saying that it is all fossil fuel with possibly a minute amount from nuclear and renewables from the interconnectors to Northern Ireland and Wales)


Key to increasing household energy efficiency is addressing the gap in knowledge and understanding between the big picture energy issues, like climate change and security of supply, and individual and household practices. 

The 2014 study made known what the unknowns are regarding the big picture so connecting the dots to the small picture and combining them with the findings of ‘Making the Connection’ in an innovative, smart and sustainable manner will be possible.  This will mean however, providing meaningful information that does not overwhelm and lead to a feeling of uselessness or that there is nothing an individual or household can do to put things right.  Uselessness is not a good feeling and will not lead to people changing their behaviour because they will feel demoralized and question their ability to make a difference to the big picture.

And it is these very sentiments that lead to the involvement of the second report from 2014, Behavioural Economics by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER).  That paper refers to ‘nudging’ people into a certain direction regarding their consumer behaviour.  This will be examined in more detail in tomorrow's blog.


Note: a new paper from the DPER about the application of behavioural economics to the development of policy can be found here