Overview

Abstract (English)

The amount of electricity Canadian households use to power a growing array of consumer electronics has increased dramatically. This Capstone asks what the Canadian government can do to contain that growth. I use econometric analysis of microdata from Statistics Canada to identify factors that drive the acquisition and use of electronics. I find that income, education, age and a propensity to engage in certain energy-saving behaviours are related to the numbers of electronics per household, or to the hours those electronics are turned on. I find no evidence that electricity price has an impact on acquisition or use. Drawing from that analysis, I consider three policy options: efficiency regulations, an efficiency tax, and a marketing campaign aimed at youths. I conclude that efficiency regulations are the best option, although none of the proposals can be expected to halt the growth of electricity consumption by consumer electronics in the short term.

Abstract (French)

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