Neighbors influence purchase of solar panels

If you're a homeowner or homeowner, have a prestigious job, and have friends or family members with solar panels, chances are you'll have some someday. The EPFL Technical University study found that a person is 89 % more likely to install solar panels if they know someone who has already done so. It is already known that this peer effect, also called social proximity, has an impact on consumers' purchasing decisions. However, the study found that another factor also plays a big role: the neighborhood effect, also called spatial proximity.

That is, in addition to the above factors, if you have a neighbor who has already installed solar panels on their roof, you probably have (with a dependent variable that increases statistically significantly by 0.5 units), especially if you speak the same language and live in the same community, as this facilitates the exchange of information between you and your neighbor. On the other hand, the study found that factors such as gender and stated environmental views did not have a significant effect. The study, recently published in the journal "Heliyon", is based on a survey of 1,125 people living in the Vaudois districts of Nyon and Jura-Nord.

Spatial and social proximity

The authors of the study state that the dissemination of information within a community can be an important driver for the energy transition and that spatial proximity should be considered alongside social proximity. They cite specific actions that policymakers can take, such as promoting local information campaigns by neighborhood associations, businesses involved in the energy transition, and people who already own solar systems. "Solar system owners are happy to share their experiences, how much electricity they generate per year and how much money they save," says Glòria Serra-Coch, an architect and doctoral student at EPFL's Laboratory for Human Environment Relations in Urban Systems (HERUS) and lead author of the study. As part of her doctoral research, Serra-Coch is studying the mechanisms by which renewable energy technology is adopted in Switzerland.

The survey asked questions about the socioeconomic category of the respondents, as well as questions about whether they had installed solar panels, whether they were homeowners or renters, whether they knew someone who had installed solar panels, and if so, where that person lived, and whether that person had suggested that they also purchase solar panels. The results showed that 17.6 % of the respondents owned solar panels and 40.4 % of those people knew someone who did.

Solar cells are not only for the roof

The study also found that the installation of solar panels is related to residential density and the degree of urbanization. In other words, most solar installations in the region studied are located in urban areas. "Swiss legislation currently encourages the installation of solar panels on the roofs of single-family homes," Serra-Coch says. "As a result, only urban areas with a high percentage of home ownership can take full advantage of this renewable energy." She proposes more flexible policies to allow people who want to use clean power to do so by removing barriers for renters and residents of buildings that don't meet the required criteria. For example, solar panels don't have to be installed on rooftops, but can be placed elsewhere, which would encourage broader adoption.

"Our study shows that renewable energy should be promoted by trusted individuals who are part of a close circle - even geographically," Serra-Coch says. She believes that creating networks of people who are actively involved in energy issues can be a good way to encourage citizens to adopt new habits. These networks would likely be effective in other areas of sustainability as well, the authors say.

Source: Techexplore