Can energy usage be compared to save money?
Britons might shortly get letters to be notified of the amount energy is consumed by their neighbours in a bid to drive them to reduce their own and save on money.
Elizabeth Costa, Managing Director of the Behavioural Insights Team has said international studies have shown that sending energy comparison letters gives an effective way to support homes cut their energy consumption by about 2%.
The Behavioural Insights Team, also known as the “Nudge Unit” was originally deployed in 2010 in the UK‘s Cabinet Office to generate behavioural insights to notify public policy.
Experts recently estimated that homes will need to pay £500 a month for their energy while others noted that “exceptionally high” bills may go on until 2024.
Ms Costa spoke to The Telegraph noting the government was “considering the full remit of its policy toolbox” to bring reductions in household energy major needs.
“We have seen, across lots of cultural contexts, that kind of social norm feedback reduces energy use.” Ms Costa commented.
She again stated that subsidies “are very much needed this year” as lot’s of vulnerable people “are really going to be struggling this winter.
Ms Costa acknowledged that creating tweaks to energy consumtion may also help the UK to get to its climate goals faster.
A BEIS spokesperson said: “The UK’s secure and diverse energy supplies will ensure households, businesses and industry can be confident they can get the electricity and gas they need.
“Britain is at a strategic advantage compared to other EU countries through access to our own North Sea gas reserves, steady imports from reliable partners like Norway, the second largest LNG port infrastructure in Europe and a gas supply underpinned by robust legal contracts.
“Thanks to a massive £90bn investment in clean energy in the last decade, we have one of the most reliable and diverse energy systems in the world and unlike EU, we are not dependent on Russian energy imports.”
Can energy usage be compared to save money?
