Abstract
Households play a crucial role in the transition of the energy system. They can make major contributions to sustainable development by adopting “green” innovations since such actions have a substantial impact on overall energy consumption. Theory suggests that innovations are first adopted by persons with specific dispositions, i.e., people with a high level of technical interest, relevant knowledge, and proenvironmental orientation. As an innovation spreads, early adopters yield social influences on others encouraging them to adopt, too. In theory, such effects should be found regardless of the nature of the innovation. We compared three green investments (residential insulation, solar thermal energy systems, and e-cars) at different diffusion stages in Germany. In three experiments, decision-makers in households were asked for their willingness to adopt the innovations; their dispositions and perceived social influences were measured in questionnaires. Social influences were found to affect all innovation adoptions while dispositions showed specific effects: technical interest was found to affect e-car and solar thermal energy adoptions; a proenvironmental value orientation only affected residential insulation. We conclude that it is worthwhile to shape policy measures to the innovation characteristics. However, social influences should always be taken in account.
Highlights
Over the last few years, there have been some advances in the worldwide energy transition process
In 2014, we investigated home owners’ willingness to make investments in residential insulation and solar thermal energy systems; in 2016, we surveyed the willingness of new car buyers to purchase an e-car
Eco-social value orientation and social norms entered model I significantly; no significant effects were found for technical interest and investment-relevant knowledge
Summary
Over the last few years, there have been some advances in the worldwide energy transition process. In 2014, 13.7% of the worldwide energy production was based on renewable sources—as compared to only 12.9% in 2000 [1]. Germany can serve as a leading example: in the last five years, German renewable electricity generation increased by over 10 percentage points and reached an overall share of 33.1% in 2017 [2]. Approximately 5% of the worldwide heat generation is based on renewable energy sources [1] and efficiency measures reducing heat demand (e.g., building insulation) are taken slowly (see e.g., [3] for the situation in Germany). The DOI describes how an innovation spreads (or fails to spread) through society over time. In this theory, “innovation” is broadly defined covering new technologies, procedures, ideas, etc
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