Does education affect energy behavior? Investigating the influence of educational attainment in Indonesia

This study investigates the causal relationship between educational attainment and various energy behaviors, including clean cooking fuel use, energy conservation practices, and energy-efficient technology adoption. Additionally, this study explores potential underlying mechanisms and regional heter...

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Main Authors: Lilia Endriana, Djoni Hartono, Khoirunurrofik, Irfani Fithria Ummul Muzayanah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Social Sciences and Humanities Open
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125003407
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author Lilia Endriana
Djoni Hartono
Khoirunurrofik
Irfani Fithria Ummul Muzayanah
author_facet Lilia Endriana
Djoni Hartono
Khoirunurrofik
Irfani Fithria Ummul Muzayanah
author_sort Lilia Endriana
collection DOAJ
description This study investigates the causal relationship between educational attainment and various energy behaviors, including clean cooking fuel use, energy conservation practices, and energy-efficient technology adoption. Additionally, this study explores potential underlying mechanisms and regional heterogeneity. Utilizing a natural experiment from the 1978 school year extension policy in Indonesia, this study applies a regression discontinuity design and a two-stage least squares approach. Based on the 2017 National Socio-Economic Survey of Social Resilience Module data, the study results show that education significantly impacts the adoption of energy-efficient technologies. However, education has a limited impact on clean cooking fuel use, showing significance only in urban areas, and it does not significantly affect energy conservation behavior. These differences arise mainly due to variations in the costs involved, the technical understanding required, and structural factors such as affordability and accessibility. Further analysis reveals that education enhances income and access to information sources but does not substantially improve energy-saving knowledge. These varying effects suggest that education alone is insufficient in driving sustainable energy behavior. This implies the need for complementary measures such as clean energy subsidies, targeted behavioral campaigns, and expanded access to clean energy infrastructure (particularly in rural areas). Moreover, given education’s role in improving access to information, public communication through mass and digital media could play a vital role in encouraging sustainable energy practices.
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spelling doaj-art-e403b2e704e84fce84e76e065ec2a4b92025-08-20T02:36:26ZengElsevierSocial Sciences and Humanities Open2590-29112025-01-011110161210.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101612Does education affect energy behavior? Investigating the influence of educational attainment in IndonesiaLilia Endriana0Djoni Hartono1 Khoirunurrofik2Irfani Fithria Ummul Muzayanah3Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, West Java, Indonesia; BPS-Statistics Indonesia, Jakarta Pusat, IndonesiaDepartment of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, West Java, Indonesia; Research Cluster on Energy Modeling and Regional Economic Analysis, Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, West Java, Indonesia; Corresponding author. Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, West Java, Indonesia.Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, West Java, Indonesia; Research Cluster on Energy Modeling and Regional Economic Analysis, Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, West Java, IndonesiaDepartment of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, West Java, Indonesia; Research Cluster on Energy Modeling and Regional Economic Analysis, Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, West Java, IndonesiaThis study investigates the causal relationship between educational attainment and various energy behaviors, including clean cooking fuel use, energy conservation practices, and energy-efficient technology adoption. Additionally, this study explores potential underlying mechanisms and regional heterogeneity. Utilizing a natural experiment from the 1978 school year extension policy in Indonesia, this study applies a regression discontinuity design and a two-stage least squares approach. Based on the 2017 National Socio-Economic Survey of Social Resilience Module data, the study results show that education significantly impacts the adoption of energy-efficient technologies. However, education has a limited impact on clean cooking fuel use, showing significance only in urban areas, and it does not significantly affect energy conservation behavior. These differences arise mainly due to variations in the costs involved, the technical understanding required, and structural factors such as affordability and accessibility. Further analysis reveals that education enhances income and access to information sources but does not substantially improve energy-saving knowledge. These varying effects suggest that education alone is insufficient in driving sustainable energy behavior. This implies the need for complementary measures such as clean energy subsidies, targeted behavioral campaigns, and expanded access to clean energy infrastructure (particularly in rural areas). Moreover, given education’s role in improving access to information, public communication through mass and digital media could play a vital role in encouraging sustainable energy practices.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125003407Energy behaviorEducationIndonesiaClean fuelEnergy conservationEnergy efficiency
spellingShingle Lilia Endriana
Djoni Hartono
Khoirunurrofik
Irfani Fithria Ummul Muzayanah
Does education affect energy behavior? Investigating the influence of educational attainment in Indonesia
Social Sciences and Humanities Open
Energy behavior
Education
Indonesia
Clean fuel
Energy conservation
Energy efficiency
title Does education affect energy behavior? Investigating the influence of educational attainment in Indonesia
title_full Does education affect energy behavior? Investigating the influence of educational attainment in Indonesia
title_fullStr Does education affect energy behavior? Investigating the influence of educational attainment in Indonesia
title_full_unstemmed Does education affect energy behavior? Investigating the influence of educational attainment in Indonesia
title_short Does education affect energy behavior? Investigating the influence of educational attainment in Indonesia
title_sort does education affect energy behavior investigating the influence of educational attainment in indonesia
topic Energy behavior
Education
Indonesia
Clean fuel
Energy conservation
Energy efficiency
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125003407
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AT khoirunurrofik doeseducationaffectenergybehaviorinvestigatingtheinfluenceofeducationalattainmentinindonesia
AT irfanifithriaummulmuzayanah doeseducationaffectenergybehaviorinvestigatingtheinfluenceofeducationalattainmentinindonesia