Shotgun or snowball approach? Accelerating the diffusion of rooftop solar photovoltaics through peer effects and social norms
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
Standard
In: Energy Policy, Vol. 118, 07.2018, p. 596-602.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
Harvard
APA
Vancouver
Bibtex
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
T1 - Shotgun or snowball approach? Accelerating the diffusion of rooftop solar photovoltaics through peer effects and social norms
AU - Curtius, Hans Christoph
AU - Hille, Stefanie Lena
AU - Berger, Christian
AU - Hahnel, Ulf Joachim Jonas
AU - Wüstenhagen, Rolf
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2018 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2018/7
Y1 - 2018/7
N2 - In the last decade, feed-in tariffs have been the method of choice for policymakers trying to accelerate the diffusion of solar photovoltaics (PV). Despite the overall effectiveness of feed-in tariffs, actual adoption rates have shown surprising regional differences, pointing to the presence of peer influence and regional spillover effects. For future diffusion of photovoltaics, understanding these social influences on the decision to adopt is key. Several studies have used revealed preference approaches to discern peer effects in PV adoption, proving their existence but leaving open questions about underlying psychological mechanisms. We close this gap by conducting a survey among potential PV adopters in one of the top three fastest-growing European solar markets and find that two types of social norms, descriptive and injunctive norms and their underlying interplay, play an important role in explaining PV adoption decision and diffusion patterns. Our findings have significant policy implications – as an alternative to following the shotgun approach of uniform nationwide incentives, policymakers should consider inducing snowball effects by facilitating the creation of regional hot spots. Such programs, which may be supported through co-investments between federal and local authorities, would effectively complement existing policy approaches.
AB - In the last decade, feed-in tariffs have been the method of choice for policymakers trying to accelerate the diffusion of solar photovoltaics (PV). Despite the overall effectiveness of feed-in tariffs, actual adoption rates have shown surprising regional differences, pointing to the presence of peer influence and regional spillover effects. For future diffusion of photovoltaics, understanding these social influences on the decision to adopt is key. Several studies have used revealed preference approaches to discern peer effects in PV adoption, proving their existence but leaving open questions about underlying psychological mechanisms. We close this gap by conducting a survey among potential PV adopters in one of the top three fastest-growing European solar markets and find that two types of social norms, descriptive and injunctive norms and their underlying interplay, play an important role in explaining PV adoption decision and diffusion patterns. Our findings have significant policy implications – as an alternative to following the shotgun approach of uniform nationwide incentives, policymakers should consider inducing snowball effects by facilitating the creation of regional hot spots. Such programs, which may be supported through co-investments between federal and local authorities, would effectively complement existing policy approaches.
KW - Diffusion of innovation
KW - Peer effects
KW - Renewable energy
KW - Social contagion
KW - Social norms
KW - Solar photovoltaics
KW - Psychology
KW - Sustainability sciences, Management & Economics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85045620131&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.enpol.2018.04.005
DO - 10.1016/j.enpol.2018.04.005
M3 - Journal articles
AN - SCOPUS:85045620131
VL - 118
SP - 596
EP - 602
JO - Energy Policy
JF - Energy Policy
SN - 0301-4215
ER -