Energy Efficiency Starts in the Mind: How Green Values and Awareness Drive Citizens’ Energy Transformation

Marcin Awdziej, Dariusz Dudek, Bożena Gajdzik, Magdalena Jaciow, Ilona Lipowska, Marcin Lipowski, Jolanta Tkaczyk, Radosław Wolniak () and Robert Wolny
Additional contact information
Marcin Awdziej: Department of Marketing, Kozminski University, 03-301 Warszawa, Poland
Dariusz Dudek: Department of Marketing, Lublin University of Technology, 20-618 Lublin, Poland
Bożena Gajdzik: Department of Industrial Informatics, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Magdalena Jaciow: Department of Digital Economy Research, Faculty of Economics, University of Economics in Katowice, 40-287 Katowice, Poland
Ilona Lipowska: Department of IT Systems and Logistics, Faculty of Economics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
Marcin Lipowski: Department of Marketing, Faculty of Economics, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University in Lublin, 20-031 Lublin, Poland
Jolanta Tkaczyk: Department of Marketing, Kozminski University, 03-301 Warszawa, Poland
Radosław Wolniak: Faculty of Organization and Management, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, Poland
Robert Wolny: Department of Digital Economy Research, Faculty of Economics, University of Economics in Katowice, 40-287 Katowice, Poland

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-26

Abstract: Background: Understanding the psychological drivers of the energy transition is essential for accelerating the shift to low-carbon societies. The aim of this study is to examine how green consumer values (GCV), energy-saving knowledge (KES) and consumer energy awareness (CEA) jointly shape pro-environmental energy behaviors (EEB), while accounting for citizens’ perceived cost barriers (PESC). Methods: We conducted a nationally representative Computer-Assisted Web Interviewing (CAWI) survey of 1405 Polish households and employed structural-equation modeling to test an integrated framework linking values, awareness, knowledge, perceived costs and two behavioral domains: high-commitment efficiency investments and low-cost curtailment actions. Results: The structural-equation model confirms that green consumer value significantly enhance both knowledge of energy-saving (β = 0.434) and consumer energy awareness (β = 0.185), thereby driving two distinct pro-environmental pathways: high-commitment efficiency investments (energy efficiency behavior) (β = 0.488) and curtailment behaviors (β = 0.355). Green consumer value also reduces perception of energy-saving costs (β = −0.344), yet these costs themselves exert strong inhibitory effects on both energy efficiency behavior (β = −0.213) and curtailment behaviors (β = −0.302). Conclusions: Our findings validate an integrated value–awareness–behavior framework, demonstrating that fostering green values and improving informational access are critical to enhancing energy-saving practices, while cost-reduction measures remain indispensable. Policymakers should combine value-based education, transparent feedback tools and targeted financial incentives to unlock citizens’ full potential in driving the energy transition.

Keywords: energy efficiency; green consumer values; energy awareness; perceived costs; pro-environmental behavior; SEM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/16/4331/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/16/4331/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:16:p:4331-:d:1724404

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().