Energy consumption and savings behavior under the pressure of energy security, sustainability and cleaner energy transition: The case of Romania

Research background: Romania is in a profound process of transformation of its energy sector, with sustainability, security, and alignment with the European Union standards as the main factors. The ability of consumers to make energy consumption more efficient and to improve their energy use habits is therefore a major input to strengthen the Romania and EU's energy independence and fight climate change. Purpose of the article: In this article, the authors are studying the ability of Romanian citizens to make energy consumption more efficient, and also the direct and indirect effect on their real contribution to saving energy. Methods: The data was gathered through a questionnaire and the respondents are citizens from Romanian households. The analysis was carried out through an econometric model by applying the PLS-SEM technique. The objective was to identify and investigate the elements that impact the contribution to saving energy of Romanian citizens. Findings & value added: The findings of the article confirm the study hypotheses crafted in the literature review section and demonstrate that the real contribution to saving energy of Romanian citizens is directly caused by various determinants, such as: being aware and informed about energy saving processes, being responsible about the energy consumption, the choice of energy provider and devices and the social/ community influence. Identifying the independent variables with relevant influence on the citizens’ contribution to saving energy could help the stakeholders within the energy sector to implement measures that could help citizens use energy more efficiently and reduce environmental impacts. Studying the independent variables that have considerable influence on the citizens’ contribution at saving energy through their ability to make energy consumption more efficient could assist the stakeholders from the energy sector to outline and improve their capabilities in meeting the needs of the energy consumers of the future.