Exploring the Relationship between Energy Cost and People's Consumption Behaviour

Al-Marri, Wadha; Al‐Habaibeh, Amin; Abdo, Hafez

doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2017.03.793

Cited by 15 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Qatar is one of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, which are major global producers, growing significantly over the past fifty years [2]. Following a rise in oil and gas production in GCC states, consumption of energy, gas and water has increased exponentially [5].…”

Section: Qatar: Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Coupled with this the use of electrical equipment in commerce, industrial and domestic environments has increased exponentially over the past 30 years [1]. Residential energy consumption has an important role to play in the entire energy consumption outcomes and it is closely linked with behavioural theories [2]. Gram-Hanssen [3] describes how and why residential energy consumption has always had a significant influence on the totality of energy consumption.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In Qatar, such factors are not applicable as there is limited concern in relation to the cost of energy due to the relative low cost of energy in comparison to other EU countries [4,5]. However as the literature notes beyond a strive for energy efficiency there is a need to influence the consumers' energy consumption behaviour [6,2]. Because the energy efficiency benefits of products over the past 30 years has been diminished by an increase in the number of products owned and used in the same period [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Very little attention is paid to the domestic energy consumption in oil rich countries, particularly in the Middle East GCC countries, which have a very different culture both in regard to the energy affordability but also climatic conditions. The theory of self-determination [2,9] can offer insights into how domestic energy users can be encouraged to conserve energy and embrace sustainable consumption habits. According to self-determination theory, individuals are either intrinsically or extrinsically motivated to behave in specific ways [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Extrinsic motivation refers to the desire to carry out a specific act for the sake of an external reward or penalty [11,12]. Thus, extrinsic motivation within the parameters of self-determination theory might explain why most governments seek to modify energy consumption behaviour through the use of economic persuasion [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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An investigation into domestic energy consumption behaviour and public awareness of renewable energy in Qatar

Al-Marri

Al‐Habaibeh

Watkins

2018

Sustainable Cities and Society

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Governments around the world are trying to find viable solutions for reducing carbon emissions and pollution, one of the primary sources of which is domestic household consumption. Although Qatar is rich in fossil fuel energy resources, there is a strategic drive towards sustainability to decrease energy consumption overall whilst increasing the nation's dependence on clean and renewable energy. One of the areas to enhance sustainability is through reducing and managing the energy demands and habits of domestic users. This research examines the current energy use in Qatar with a view to making recommendations in regard to challenging and improving consumer behaviour in respect to energy efficiency. A mixed methods approach was untaken consisting of both qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data was gathered from a wide spread survey of n=410 Qatari based consumers in regard to their energy consumption behaviour, investigating avenues for enabling sustainable behaviour change. The qualitative data was been collected by interviewing a panel of energy experts in Qatar. The purpose of this research study is to gain valuable insight into Qatari resident's energy consumption behaviour and perception of renewable energy and sustainability. The results will help to identify solutions to Qatar's high consumption of electricity per capita. This study has further implications amongst similar nations and states to address energy consumptions where there is a natural abundance of fossil fuel energy resources. This study has found that user's education and awareness of the environmental impact is dependent on efficient energy monitoring and usage. However, due to the presence of energy subsidies in Qatar, citizens are not inclined to modify their energy consumption behaviour through economic means. This suggests that a greater awareness of the effects of excessive energy use is required through sustainability education to motivate behaviour change. The results of this study were analysed using self-determination and hierarchal needs theories, indicating that education and public engagement and awareness are the best options for domestic energy conservation in Qatar.

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Section: Qatar: Backgroundmentioning

confidence: 99%