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Understanding the determinants of rooftop solar installation: evidence from household surveys in Australia

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  • Best, Rohan
  • Burke, Paul J.
  • Nishitateno, Shuhei

Abstract

Australia is a world leader in household uptake of solar photovoltaic systems. In this paper, we use household-level data to identify economic, social, and environmental factors that influence actual uptake and the intention to install. We find that higher net wealth is generally associated with higher likelihood to install. Households that have mortgages, that spend more on electricity, and that pay higher average electricity prices are more likely to intend to install. Environmental preferences and related behaviours, property tenure, and space constraints are associated with both actual uptake and intention to install. We use data from the Survey of Income and Housing of 2015-16 and the Household Energy Consumption Survey of 2012.

Suggested Citation

  • Best, Rohan & Burke, Paul J. & Nishitateno, Shuhei, 2019. "Understanding the determinants of rooftop solar installation: evidence from household surveys in Australia," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 63(4), July.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:aareaj:333851
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.333851
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    Cited by:

    1. Best, Rohan & Burke, Paul J., 2022. "Effects of renting on household energy expenditure: Evidence from Australia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    2. Mara Hammerle & Paul J. Burke, 2022. "Solar PV and energy poverty in Australia's residential sector," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 66(4), pages 822-841, October.
    3. Hammerle, Mara & Burke, Paul J., 2022. "From natural gas to electric appliances: Energy use and emissions implications in Australian homes," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(C).
    4. Lekavičius, V. & Bobinaitė, V. & Galinis, A. & Pažėraitė, A., 2020. "Distributional impacts of investment subsidies for residential energy technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    5. Best, Rohan & Li, Han & Trück, Stefan & Truong, Chi, 2021. "Actual uptake of home batteries: The key roles of capital and policy," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    6. Zander, Kerstin K., 2020. "Unrealised opportunities for residential solar panels in Australia," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    7. Best, Rohan & Burke, Paul J. & Nepal, Rabindra & Reynolds, Zac, 2021. "Effects of rooftop solar on housing prices in Australia," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 65(03), January.
    8. Best, Rohan & Chareunsy, Andrea, 2022. "The impact of income on household solar panel uptake: Exploring diverse results using Australian data," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    9. San-Martín, Enrique & Elizalde, Patxi, 2024. "Determinants of rooftop solar uptake: A comparative analysis of the residential and non-residential sectors in the Basque Country (Spain)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 203(C).
    10. Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye & Yildirim, Julide & Connor, Peter M. & Truckell, Ian & Hart, Phil, 2021. "Energy transition at local level: Analyzing the role of peer effects and socio-economic factors on UK solar photovoltaic deployment," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 148(PB).
    11. Best, Rohan, 2022. "Energy inequity variation across contexts," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    12. Best, Rohan & Trück, Stefan, 2020. "Capital and policy impacts on Australian small-scale solar installations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    13. Tomasi, Silvia, 2022. "The (Non) impact of the Spanish “Tax on the Sun” on photovoltaics prosumers uptake," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    14. Emily Schulte & Fabian Scheller & Wilmer Pasut & Thomas Bruckner, 2021. "Product traits, decision-makers, and household low-carbon technology adoptions: moving beyond single empirical studies," Papers 2112.11867, arXiv.org.
    15. Best, Rohan & Chareunsy, Andrea & Li, Han, 2021. "Equity and effectiveness of Australian small-scale solar schemes," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    16. Kyere, Francis & Dongying, Sun & Bampoe, Gertrude Dotse & Kumah, Naana Yaa Gyamea & Asante, Dennis, 2024. "Decoding the shift: Assessing household energy transition and unravelling the reasons for resistance or adoption of solar photovoltaic," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    17. 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.
    18. Hansen, Anders Rhiger & Jacobsen, Mette Hove & Gram-Hanssen, Kirsten, 2022. "Characterizing the Danish energy prosumer: Who buys solar PV systems and why do they buy them?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    19. Fikru, Mahelet G. & Gautier, Luis, 2023. "Consumption and production of cleaner energy by prosumers," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    20. Best, Rohan & Hammerle, Mara & Mukhopadhaya, Pundarik & Silber, Jacques, 2021. "Targeting household energy assistance," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    21. Zhang, Yanquan & Chang, Ruidong & Zuo, Jian & Shabunko, Veronika & Zheng, Xian, 2023. "Regional disparity of residential solar panel diffusion in Australia: The roles of socio-economic factors," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 808-819.
    22. Best, Rohan & Burke, Paul J., 2023. "Small-scale solar panel adoption by the non-residential sector: The effects of national and targeted policies in Australia," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    23. Best, Rohan, 2023. "Equitable reverse auctions supporting household energy investments," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    24. Fabian Scheller & Karyn Morrissey & Karsten Neuhoff & Dogan Keles, 2023. "Green or greedy: the relationship between perceived benefits and homeowners' intention to adopt residential low-carbon technologies," Papers 2308.10104, arXiv.org.

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