Reducing household energy consumption is essential for meeting long-term climate and energy goals. This paper explores two key household-level actions for energy-conservation— investment in energy efficiency (EE) and engagement in energy-saving behaviours—and examines potential interconnections between them. Using original survey data from 500 Spanish households on washing machine purchases, we analyse the determinants of both the adoption of highly energy-efficient washing machines and the implementation of daily energy-saving practices. The results show that attitudes towards EE and the environment, risk and time preferences, prior experiences and habits, socio-economic characteristics, and EE policy measures are associated with both actions. However, the specific determinants often differ across the two energy-conservation dimensions or exert distinct effects. Moreover, we find no evidence of a significant causal effect of the purchase of energy-efficient appliances on the adoption of energy-saving behaviour, or vice versa. This suggests that focusing exclusively on a single conservation strategy may be insufficient to effectively reduce household energy consumption. Instead, a dual-pathway approach is required. Policies should therefore promote both the uptake of energy-efficient technologies and the adoption of curtailment behaviours. Our results suggest that a combination of informational, economic, and financial policy tools can contribute to more comprehensive household energy conservation.
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Lower-carbon energy and Total Factor Productivity: Evidence from Vietnamese Firm-Level Panel Data
This study investigates the long-term and causal relationship between lower-carbon energy consumption and firm-level Total Factor Productivity (TFP) in Vietnam. Utilizing panel data cointegration, DOLS estimation, and Granger causality tests on a balanced panel dataset from 2011-2020, we find evidence of a long-term relationship across the economy. While overall lower-carbon energy consumption positively impacts TFP, sectoral analysis reveals a nuanced story: a positive long-term relationship in Manufacturing and Construction, but a negative one for Wholesale/ Retail and Logistics, particularly linked to LPG/natural gas consumption. Causality tests confirm a two-way relationship only for the full sample and Manufacturing, with other sub-sectors showing unidirectional causality from TFP to lower-carbon energy. These findings highlight the critical need for tailored, sector-specific energy transition policies in Vietnam. Policies should foster lower-carbon energy adoption in sectors showing positive TFP impacts, while actively discouraging reliance on LPG/natural gas in others. Furthermore, enhancing overall firm productivity and investing in robust green infrastructure are crucial to enable and accelerate sustainable energy transitions across the economy. These findings suggest that energy transition policies should be sector-specific and account for firms’ productive capacity, as the relationship between lower-carbon energy adoption and TFP varies markedly across sectors and firm types.
From Intention to Action: Policies for Addressing the Barriers of Smart Meter Penetration in Emerging Markets
The rapid global shift towards sustainable energy solutions has highlighted the crucial role of smart meters in effectively managing energy consumption. This study employs the “Theory of Planned Behaviour” to analyse the impact of attitude, socio-economic advantage, environmental benefit, and subjective norm on the intention to continue the use of smart meters, with a particular focus on the role of data privacy concerns. The study utilizes structural equation modelling to analyse the data collected from a randomly selected sample of 405 smart meter customers. The results demonstrate the strong effect of socio-economic advantage on the willingness to continue use, with a significant effect for environmental benefit and policy support. In addition, the study finds data privacy concerns to be a critical barrier to the continuing use of meters, significantly reducing their willingness to use them, even when they express a strong desire. Based on the findings, several policy implications for strengthening continued usage of smart meters among existing users. Further policies propose standardised installation training, consumer engagement through smart apps, digital billing and ease-of-
access, and comprehensive data protection measures. The study puts forward a comprehensive roadmap for higher penetration of smart meters by 2040.
Adverse effects of the use of solid fuels on health outcomes in Chile
This study provides nationally representative evidence on the health effects of household solid fuel use in Chile, where firewood remains a common heating source despite high electrification. Using pooled CASEN microdata for 2015, 2017, and 2022, we estimate the Average Treatment Effect on the Treated (ATT) of living in a solid-fuel household on multiple morbidity indicators. To strengthen identification in repeated cross-sections and ensure comparisons are made within common support, we apply Coarsened Exact Matching (CEM) on key socioeconomic, housing, territorial, and survey-year characteristics, and estimate weighted post-matching linear probability models with household-clustered standard errors. Using self-reported morbidity and medical-treatment indicators, we find that solid-fuel use is associated with higher probabilities of recent illness (+2.14 pp) and treated morbidity, with the most consistent evidence for chronic systemic conditions (+0.49 pp) and weaker but positive evidence for cardiovascular conditions (+0.46 pp). These estimates reflect differences in health outcomes between comparable matched groups rather than cumulative long-run exposure effects. Heterogeneity analyses suggest that effects are more consistently concentrated among women
and working-age adults, and that estimates vary meaningfully across macro-zones. Overall, the findings highlight household solid-fuel use as a relevant and unequal source of health risk in Chile, and point to the value of policies that facilitate cleaner residential heating and reduce exposure among vulnerable groups.