Abstract
Increasing the adoption of energy efficient technologies by households is one of the formulated strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This paper presents a systematic review of agent-based modelling studies on the adoption of energy efficiency by households. It starts with an overview of barriers for adoption, of energy efficiency policies, energy efficiency model types. Afterwards, an analysis is given of technologies modelled, policies simulated, decision-making theories included, and the use of empirical data. An overview is presented of how technologies, barriers and policies relate in the models. Furthermore, the core policy recommendations from existing models are presented. The analysis shows that the reviewed studies predominantly focus on a subset of barriers – a lack of capital, a lack of information, high upfront cost, ignorance, inertia and other priorities. So far, agent-based models have focused on how subsidies, technology bans and information campaigns influence energy efficiency adoption. There is ample opportunity for future agent-based modelling research on energy efficiency adoption policy by studying other residential technologies, other barriers, and other policies that fit the agent-based modelling paradigm well.
Highlights
Stimulating energy efficiency adoption is one of the strategies formulated by the international community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our contribution to climate change [1]
This paper presents a systematic review of agent-based modelling studies on the adoption of energy efficiency by households
The purpose of this review is to identify the policy recommendations that are produced by agent-based models (ABMs) and learn what properties of ABMs contribute to formulation of concrete policy recommendations, in particular with respect to the adoption barriers known in the literature
Summary
Stimulating energy efficiency adoption is one of the strategies formulated by the international community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our contribution to climate change [1]. The European Union and national governments seek to increase the adoption of energy efficiency in society [2]. The residential sector is marked as an important sector to contribute to the internationally set climate targets and the increased adoption of energy efficiency by households is needed to mitigate the effects of a globally growing population and increasing energy demand [1]. Energy efficiency can be specified as: ‘achieving the same services and performance while using a technology with less energy use’[2]. The increased adoption of energy efficient technologies should contribute to achieving the targets set. For the residential sector it is not clear which technologies should be adopted by households, why many people are not adopting the most efficient technologies and how policy makers should stimulate adoption? There are many types of barriers, i.e. structural, economic, social or behavioural barriers that stop households from adopting a new technology
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