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Choice-decision determinants for the (non) adoption of energy efficiency technologies in households

Neij, Lena LU ; Mundaca, Luis LU and Moukhametshina, Elvira (2009) ECEEE Reducing Energy Demand Sustainably p.687-695
Abstract
Energy efficiency scenarios are developed in the national and international context to explore and evaluate different policy designs and visions of how energy will be generated, distributed and used in the future. However, these scenarios are often developed using conventional bottom-up modelling tools that, to only a limited extent, take into account decentralised decision-making frameworks, such as household investment decisions regarding energy-efficient technologies. The tools for modelling policy evaluation need to be improved to capture the factors determining the choice of technologies that affect household energy consumption and how these might be better influenced by means of energy efficiency policy instruments. In this paper, we... (More)
Energy efficiency scenarios are developed in the national and international context to explore and evaluate different policy designs and visions of how energy will be generated, distributed and used in the future. However, these scenarios are often developed using conventional bottom-up modelling tools that, to only a limited extent, take into account decentralised decision-making frameworks, such as household investment decisions regarding energy-efficient technologies. The tools for modelling policy evaluation need to be improved to capture the factors determining the choice of technologies that affect household energy consumption and how these might be better influenced by means of energy efficiency policy instruments. In this paper, we present the first phase of a project analysing possible options to further improve microeconomic decision-making frameworks for evaluating energy efficiency policies and developing more realistic energy use forecasts for the household sector. The objective of the paper is to identify and explore a wide range of determinants beyond the narrow but traditional ‘rational model’ technology choice approach affecting and influencing households’ purchase/investment decisions regarding energy-efficient technologies. Furthermore, and within the economic/engineering paradigm that dominates energy modelling tools, we focus on the specific, but relevant issue of discounting to simulate and assess household preferences regarding energy-efficient technologies. Based on an extensive literature review, we present a summary of the body of evidence developed in the field. The results show that capital and operating costs prove to have an important influence on technology choice. However, the evidence clearly suggests that a broader set of determinants need to be considered and that different determinants will influence households’ technology choice in different markets under different circumstances and for different technologies. Even if pure economic parameters are examined, there is still a gap between what ex-post analyses reveal and the discount rates used in ex-ante modelling exercises. The results suggest that a larger representation of determinants in energy modelling tools is necessary to further enhance our understanding of household technology choice and thus the feasibility of such models in policy evaluation. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Energy efficiency, Technology choice determinants, Discount rates, Household sector
host publication
ECEEE Summer Study
pages
9 pages
publisher
European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ECEEE)
conference name
ECEEE Reducing Energy Demand Sustainably
conference location
La Colle sur Loup, France
conference dates
2009-06-01 - 2009-06-06
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5c07f0c6-ee12-4b33-9209-74c2bd520395 (old id 1529617)
alternative location
http://www.eceee.org/conference_proceedings/
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 12:01:29
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:08:34
@inproceedings{5c07f0c6-ee12-4b33-9209-74c2bd520395,
  abstract     = {{Energy efficiency scenarios are developed in the national and international context to explore and evaluate different policy designs and visions of how energy will be generated, distributed and used in the future. However, these scenarios are often developed using conventional bottom-up modelling tools that, to only a limited extent, take into account decentralised decision-making frameworks, such as household investment decisions regarding energy-efficient technologies. The tools for modelling policy evaluation need to be improved to capture the factors determining the choice of technologies that affect household energy consumption and how these might be better influenced by means of energy efficiency policy instruments. In this paper, we present the first phase of a project analysing possible options to further improve microeconomic decision-making frameworks for evaluating energy efficiency policies and developing more realistic energy use forecasts for the household sector. The objective of the paper is to identify and explore a wide range of determinants beyond the narrow but traditional ‘rational model’ technology choice approach affecting and influencing households’ purchase/investment decisions regarding energy-efficient technologies. Furthermore, and within the economic/engineering paradigm that dominates energy modelling tools, we focus on the specific, but relevant issue of discounting to simulate and assess household preferences regarding energy-efficient technologies. Based on an extensive literature review, we present a summary of the body of evidence developed in the field. The results show that capital and operating costs prove to have an important influence on technology choice. However, the evidence clearly suggests that a broader set of determinants need to be considered and that different determinants will influence households’ technology choice in different markets under different circumstances and for different technologies. Even if pure economic parameters are examined, there is still a gap between what ex-post analyses reveal and the discount rates used in ex-ante modelling exercises. The results suggest that a larger representation of determinants in energy modelling tools is necessary to further enhance our understanding of household technology choice and thus the feasibility of such models in policy evaluation.}},
  author       = {{Neij, Lena and Mundaca, Luis and Moukhametshina, Elvira}},
  booktitle    = {{ECEEE Summer Study}},
  keywords     = {{Energy efficiency; Technology choice determinants; Discount rates; Household sector}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{687--695}},
  publisher    = {{European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ECEEE)}},
  title        = {{Choice-decision determinants for the (non) adoption of energy efficiency technologies in households}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/5909562/4447192.pdf}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}