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Returns to solar panels in the housing market: A meta learner approach

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  • Asproudis, Elias
  • Gedikli, Cigdem
  • Talavera, Oleksandr
  • Yilmaz, Okan

Abstract

This paper aims to estimate the returns to solar panels in the UK residential housing market. Our analysis applies a causal machine learning approach to Zoopla property data containing about 5 million observations. Drawing on meta-learner algorithms, we provide strong evidence documenting that solar panels are directly capitalized into sale prices. Our results point to a selling price premium above 6% (range between 6.1% to 7.1% depending on the meta-learner) associated with solar panels. Considering that the average selling price is £230,536 in our sample, this corresponds to an additional £14,062 to £16,368 selling price premium for houses with solar panels. Our results are robust to traditional hedonic pricing models and matching techniques, with the lowest estimates at 3.5% using the latter. Despite the declining trend, the additional analyses demonstrate that the positive premium associated with solar panels persists over the years.

Suggested Citation

  • Asproudis, Elias & Gedikli, Cigdem & Talavera, Oleksandr & Yilmaz, Okan, 2024. "Returns to solar panels in the housing market: A meta learner approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:137:y:2024:i:c:s0140988324004766
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2024.107768
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Solar panels; Residential housing market; Sale prices; Machine-learning; Meta-learners;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R21 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Housing Demand
    • R31 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Housing Supply and Markets
    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources
    • Q5 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics

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