Understanding Participation and Outcomes in Energy Programs - Evidence from Households, Cities, and States

Session Submission Type: Panel

Abstract

Why do participation patterns in energy-related programs vary so widely, even when participation is encouraged—or formally required—and what happens after actors choose to engage? This panel brings together four papers that examine these questions across households, municipalities, and states, focusing on the factors that shape participation, the heterogeneity underlying engagement, and the behavioral and policy consequences that follow.

The first paper examines voluntary participation in household energy-efficiency upgrades using a survey that involves low-to-moderate-income first-time homeowners across the U.S. Motivated by the uneven uptake of retrofit incentives—particularly the disproportionate participation of higher-income households—the study investigates what shapes willingness to engage among lower- and middle-income homeowners. It highlights the importance of perceptions, trust, and information accessibility in shaping participation decisions, while also documenting variation across housing and neighborhood contexts. Together, these patterns underscore substantial heterogeneity in who engages with energy programs and why.

The second paper uses smart meter data from over 60,000 households in Tallahassee, Florida (2011-2016) and examines how households adjust their energy consumption after adopting thermal efficiency upgrades. Rather than relying on single socioeconomic indicators, it adopts an intersectional approach to understand heterogeneous behavioral responses following participation. The study further distinguishes between different forms of engagement - participation in rebate programs versus energy audits - showing how different forms of engagement influence post-adoption energy use. These findings highlight that participation is not an endpoint, but part of a broader behavioral trajectory with important implications for equity and program effectiveness.

The third paper shifts focus to municipal behavior by examining participation patterns in an energy reporting program in Texas. Although Texas cities in non-attainment regions are required by state legislation to report their energy use and reduction progress, only about half of the applicable cities have done so between 2019 and 2025, rendering the program de facto voluntary. This paper investigates variation in cities' participation by testing the role of mimetic and normative pressures, as well as the influence of organizational design— more specifically, whether cities have a dedicated environmental office. This paper distinguishes between one-time and sustained participation, showing how external institutional context and internal capacity jointly shape cities engagement in sustainability initiatives.

The fourth paper situates these dynamics within a broader policy context by examining political pressures on state clean energy mandates. It asks what regulatory, market, and political factors predict the intensity of opposition to these mandates, and under what conditions such pressure leads to weakening or repeal. This paper combines qualitative and quantitative approaches to analyze policy dockets from public utility commissions and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, systematically assessing variation in mandate design and political contestation across states.

Together, these papers highlight that participation is shaped by distinct institutional, behavioral, and political forces operating at multiple levels. They show that understanding energy programs' effectiveness requires not only identifying who participates, but also examining how participation is sustained, how behavior changes after engagement, and how broader political dynamics shape the durability of policy frameworks.

Policy Area

• Natural Resource, Energy, and Environmental Policy

Discussants

• Anmol Soni, Louisiana State University

• Evan Matthew Mistur, University of Texas at Arlington

Organizer

• Linlang He, University of North Texas

Individual Presentations

• Who’s Afraid of Energy-Efficiency Upgrades? - Presenting Author: Catherine Chen, Hamilton College

• Intersectionality of Heterogeneous Energy Consumption Changes following Thermal Energy Efficiency Rebates - Presenting Author: Lauren Janicke, Carnegie Mellon University

• Peer Influence or Self-Drive? Behind Texas Municipalities’ Voluntary Energy Reporting Patterns - Presenting Author: Ziyao Wang, University of North Texas; Non-Presenting Co-Author: Linlang He, University of North Texas

• State Clean Energy Mandates Under Cost Pressure - Presenting Author: Juniper Katz, University of Massachusetts at Amherst