You know how everyone says they want to save energy, but then nobody bothers to switch off lights or upgrade their boiler? This project figured out exactly why that gap exists — the psychological tricks, social pressure, and financial hang-ups that stop people from acting. Researchers ran real experiments with energy companies across Europe, A/B testing different nudges the way tech companies test website buttons. They built a gamified app platform that turns energy saving into something people actually want to do, and tested what messaging and incentives move the needle.
Energy companies and building managers invest heavily in efficiency programs, but customer participation remains stubbornly low because people do not behave rationally when it comes to energy decisions. The gap between what people say they want (lower bills, greener living) and what they actually do (nothing) costs the industry billions in unrealized savings and missed policy targets.
The project built an IT platform with gamified apps (prototype stage) for driving energy-efficient behavior, and produced 23 deliverables including A/B-tested behavioral interventions designed in partnership with energy utilities and retailers across 5 European countries.
If you are an energy utility struggling with low uptake of efficiency programs — this project developed A/B-tested behavioral interventions and a gamified app platform that increase customer engagement with energy saving. The research covered consumption behavior, investment in efficient products, and building renovation decisions across 5 European countries.
If you are a property manager trying to convince tenants or owners to invest in energy-efficient renovations — this project mapped the psychological and financial barriers blocking renovation decisions. The findings from experiments across 5 countries provide tested strategies for overcoming resistance to building upgrades.
If you are an energy product retailer wondering why customers browse but do not buy efficient products — this project ran controlled experiments with energy retailers to identify exactly which psychological and financial factors drive or block purchasing decisions. The gamified IT platform prototype could be adapted to boost product adoption.
The project produced an IT platform and gamified app prototype, but specific licensing or implementation costs are not available in the project data. As a closed research project, commercialization terms would need to be negotiated directly with the coordinator (Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei). Based on available project data, the platform was built as a research prototype, so adaptation costs would depend on scale and integration needs.
The project deliberately tested across 5 European countries (Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands) to account for different institutional and political factors. The A/B testing methodology used with energy utilities and retailers is inherently scalable — the same experimental approach can be replicated in new markets with local calibration.
The project was funded as a Research and Innovation Action (RIA) under Horizon 2020. IP is typically retained by the consortium partners — in this case 5 universities and 1 research organization across 5 countries. Licensing the gamified app platform or research findings would require direct engagement with the coordinator in Italy.
Yes. The project objective explicitly states they partnered with energy utilities and retailers in different European countries to conduct scientific A/B testing experiments. These were real-world interventions, not lab simulations, covering energy consumption, product investment, and building renovation behavior.
The project generated quantitative ex ante assessments of expected impacts of EU and global energy policies using improved energy economy models. This makes the findings directly relevant for companies needing to comply with or anticipate energy efficiency regulations and building performance standards.
Based on available project data, the A/B testing approach delivers measurable results within the experimental timeframe. The project ran from 2016 to 2019 and produced 23 deliverables including the IT platform prototype. Specific timelines for deployment would depend on your customer base size and integration approach.
The PENNY consortium is a purely academic team of 6 partners across 5 countries (Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands), with 5 universities and 1 research organization. There are zero industry partners and zero SMEs, giving it a 0% industry ratio. This is a strong signal that the research is rigorous but has not yet been pulled toward commercial application. The coordinator, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei in Italy, is a well-known energy and environmental economics research institute. For a business buyer, this means the science is solid but you would need to bring your own implementation capacity — there is no commercial partner in the consortium ready to sell or deploy the tools.
Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (Italy) — a leading energy economics research institute. Contact via institutional channels or through SciTransfer for a facilitated introduction.
Want to explore how PENNY's behavioral science tools could boost your energy efficiency programs? SciTransfer can arrange a direct introduction to the research team and help assess fit for your specific use case.
