Energy Literacy: Case of Iran’s Northwestern Academic Community

Energy literacy enhancement and empowerment of citizens to adopt energy-saving behaviors lie among the most effective strategies for reforming energy consumption patterns. The present study aims to investigate the status of energy literacy in the northwest of Iran and model factors affecting it, with an emphasis on economic and financial literacy. To this end, using the survey approach and questionnaire tools, economic and financial literacy index and energy literacy index were measured and then an empirical model of research was fitted with censored econometric models (Tobit estimator). The statistical population of the study consisted of staff and professors of the universities of East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, and Ardabil provinces. After sampling, 500 questionnaires were completed and analyzed. The results showed that financial and economic literacy has a positive and significant effect on two cognitive and emotional dimensions of energy literacy, while carrying insignificant effect on its behavioral dimension. Therefore, the hypothesis of the energy efficiency gap is confirmed among the statistical sample of the study. Households’ income level also influences the energy’s cognitive literacy significantly and negatively, and decreases energy-saving behaviors with increasing area of the house.