Consumer Energy Interface Use and User Behavior Analysis During a Price Hike: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Concurrent issues in the supply of fossil fuels are becoming more common in many parts of the world, creating energy price fluctuation. We conducted an interview study to find out how residents in rural Finland handle the recent energy crisis caused by concurrent issues in domestic energy production, a severe winter, and the halt of cheap fossil fuel imports from the east. We used thematic analysis to look for consumers’ energy behavior, price monitoring habits, and what type of energy interfaces they used. We also studied their adaptation strategies and evaluated them through the theory of planned behavior. We created a narrative analysis of the condition, context, adaptation strategies, and its consequences based on the consumer’s energy behavior.