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Opinion leadership and willingness to pay for residential photovoltaic systems

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  • Yamamoto, Yoshihiro

Abstract

According to diffusion theory, opinion leaders play an important role in the diffusion of new technologies through interpersonal communication with potential adopters. This study investigates the role and utility of opinion leadership in photovoltaic (PV) system diffusion. Specifically, the study proposes, examines, and considers the implications of the hypothesis that there is a positive relationship between willingness to pay (WTP) for a PV system and opinion leadership on PV-system adoption. The investigation employed an internet-based questionnaire to assess the use of interpersonal communication in decision-making on adoption, to identify opinion leaders on adoption, and to characterize their WTP. The response pool consisted of 488 individuals who lived in a detached house, owned a residential PV system, and were responsible for making the decision to adopt the system. The results support the hypothesis. Considering that subsidization preferentially incentivizes households with greater WTP to adopt PV systems, this suggests that subsidization is more effective than purchases of PV power under feed-in tariffs in promoting the diffusion of residential PV systems through interpersonal communication.

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  • Yamamoto, Yoshihiro, 2015. "Opinion leadership and willingness to pay for residential photovoltaic systems," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 185-192.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:83:y:2015:i:c:p:185-192
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2015.04.014
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    5. Ju-Hee Kim & Younggew Kim & Seung-Hoon Yoo, 2021. "Using a choice experiment to explore the public willingness to pay for the impacts of improving energy efficiency of an apartment," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 55(5), pages 1775-1793, October.
    6. Li, Bo & Ding, Junqi & Wang, Jieqiong & Zhang, Biao & Zhang, Lingxian, 2021. "Key factors affecting the adoption willingness, behavior, and willingness-behavior consistency of farmers regarding photovoltaic agriculture in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    7. Ding, Liping & Zhu, Yuxuan & Zheng, Longwei & Dai, Qiyao & Zhang, Zumeng, 2023. "What is the path of photovoltaic building (BIPV or BAPV) promotion? --The perspective of evolutionary games," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 340(C).
    8. Riccardo Scarpa & Cristiano Franceschinis & Mara Thiene, 2017. "A Monte Carlo Evaluation of the Logit-Mixed Logit under Asymmetry and Multimodality," Working Papers in Economics 17/23, University of Waikato.
    9. Esplin, Ryan & Nelson, Tim, 2022. "Redirecting solar feed in tariffs to residential battery storage: Would it be worth it?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 373-389.
    10. Ayu Washizu & Satoshi Nakano & Hideo Ishii & Yasuhiro Hayashi, 2019. "Willingness to Pay for Home Energy Management Systems: A Survey in New York and Tokyo," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-20, September.
    11. He, Ke & Zhang, Junbiao & Zeng, Yangmei, 2020. "Households’ willingness to pay for energy utilization of crop straw in rural China：Based on an improved UTAUT model," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    12. Emily Schulte & Fabian Scheller & Daniel Sloot & Thomas Bruckner, 2021. "A meta-analysis of residential PV adoption: the important role of perceived benefits, intentions and antecedents in solar energy acceptance," Papers 2112.12464, arXiv.org.
    13. David Huckebrink & Valentin Bertsch, 2021. "Integrating Behavioural Aspects in Energy System Modelling—A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-26, July.
    14. Dalia Streimikiene & Tomas Balezentis & Ilona Alisauskaite-Seskiene & Gintare Stankuniene & Zaneta Simanaviciene, 2019. "A Review of Willingness to Pay Studies for Climate Change Mitigation in the Energy Sector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-38, April.
    15. Cohen, Jed J. & Azarova, Valeriya & Kollmann, Andrea & Reichl, Johannes, 2021. "Preferences for community renewable energy investments in Europe," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    16. dos Santos, L.L.C. & Canha, L.N. & Bernardon, D.P., 2018. "Projection of the diffusion of photovoltaic systems in residential low voltage consumers," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 116(PA), pages 384-401.

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