Investigating the Information and Communication Technology Deployment Impact on Energy Expenditures of Iranian households (A Provincial Approach)

Nowadays, investing in information and communication technology (ICT) is inevitable, because it affects various aspects of human life, including the economy. Due to the rapid growth of population, increasing energy demand, and limited energy resources, one of the basic measures to achieve sustainable development in countries, is optimization and reform of energy consumption structures. Given that the home sector is one of the main sectors of energy consumption, one of the effective approaches in reducing and managing household energy expenditures is to use ICT capabilities. In this regard, in this study, the effect of ICT expansion on energy consumption of urban households in Iran using the Panel Data method and GLS model during the period 2008-2015 and in the form of provincial data has been analyzed. The results indicate that in some models, a significant reducing effect of ICT on energy expenditure was observed. However, in most of the estimated models, there is no significant reducing effect of ICT on household energy expenditure. It seems that the main reasons for this are the subsidy structure governing energy prices, the low share of energy in total household consumption expenditures, the lack of proper consumption culture.