Research Of Influence On Rural Residents’ Low-carbon Energy Buying Behavior From Guide Policies In Poyang Lake Eco-economic Region

Content: Energy consumption has been widely promoted by the academic circles with the implication of national energy conservation and emissions reduction policies, and establishment of ecological civilization construction objectives. But nationwide, the lacking of clean-energy supply and the low efficiency of energy utilization in China rural areas reveal serious environment situation. Previous studies about energy consumption present some characteristics: the research of energy consumption, with remarkable research results, are mostly based on the macro level, meanwhile, research on energy consumer behavior from the micro level are for the most part from urban residents, instead of rural residents.Through questionnaires of 398 rural residents in 19 counties(cities, districts) of the Poyang Lake Eco-economic region, this paper researches the low-carbon energy consumption behavior of rural residents. Using descriptive statistics, factor analysis,two-step cluster analysis, and multiple regression analysis, it discusses the energy consumption concept and psychological characteristic division of rural residents groups,under the particular development stage and special cultural psychology characteristics;then studies how the policy instruments act upon low-carbon energy buying behavior of various rural residents groups. The conclusions are as following:First of all, the rural residents of Poyang Lake Eco-economic region generally hold a positive low-carbon cognition in energy issues, however, their environmental values and sense of environmental responsibility are not strong. With increasing energy demands,household energy consumption more concentrates in household energy. What’s more, the traditional non-commercial energy consumption stays in the early stage of conversion to commercialization.Secondly, the rural residents’ energy consumption behavior can be classified as "high-carbon", "intermediate" and "low-carbon", 3 kinds of groups in the energy consumption process. Rural residents of female, young, high level of education have a more positive environmental emotion and sense of responsibility about environmental issues, they are more likely to implement low-carbon energy consumption behavior.Families with little members, of low-income, more children, more higher education children, higher diplomatic tendency, more relatives in three generations members are mostly belong to low-carbon group.Thirdly, the policy tools present positive and lesser role for 3 kinds of rural residents groups in guiding of low-carbon energy buying, moreover, there are difference in the degree of influence. Among the 4 tools, the information tools have the most effectiveintervention, and the effect of other 3 tools(economic tools, administrative tools, physical tools) are not that obvious. Guide policy interventions are most notable for low-carbon groups, after are high-carbon group, intermediate group. On this basis, combining with the conclusions of energy consumption behavior researches, this paper puts forward policy recommendations in attaching great importance to 4 groups, the housing units, the female,youth and high intellectual, the civilian power, as well as the rural areas.