Household electricity consumption in rural area: An occupant's behavior analysis to increase energy saving

Abstract

This research investigates electricity consumption and typical occupants' behaviors for rural households in Indonesia. A questionnaire is composed to get important information from respondents through direct survey located in several rural areas in Bone, South Sulawesi province as a case study. The information included such as owned household appliances, occupants' behaviors regarding appliances usage, factors barriers in buying energy saving appliances (ESA), and general barriers in electricity saving. To get more information, regression analysis is also applied to identify relationship between perception and consumption habits. Results of this study show lamp, washing machine, and television are low watt appliances which majority owned by users with installed electricity at home is between 450 VA to 1,300 VA. A main barrier to have ESA is price, and lack information to support practising electricity saving. Next from regression results, perception variable is found affected usage behavior and also daily habit of occupants. Output of this study gives more insight in understanding characteristics of electricity consumption for rural households. They can be used as a basis in making effective energy saving program to dealing with issue related to growth load in power systems.