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Understanding the role of visual appeal in consumer preference for residential solar panels

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  • Bao, Qifang
  • Honda, Tomonori
  • El Ferik, Sami
  • Shaukat, Mian Mobeen
  • Yang, Maria C.

Abstract

Appearance is often key to the success of consumer-oriented products. This paper investigates the influence of visual appeal of renewable energy systems on consumer preference in a case study of residential solar panels. Two surveys of US residents were conducted with 194 and 350 responses, respectively. The first focused on aspects of solar panel appearance, including color, surface pattern and frame, while the second examined the tradeoffs between solar panel appearance, functional performance and price. Respondents were presented with two types of visual representations: solar panel images alone or solar panel images shown in the context of use. Results showed that respondents in general preferred black solar panels that had solar cells with rounded corners and even surfaces, and preferred solar panels that matched the color of the roof. It was also found that respondents were willing to pay a higher price for better-looking solar systems. This effect was found to be stronger with contextualized images of solar panels on roofs.

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  • Bao, Qifang & Honda, Tomonori & El Ferik, Sami & Shaukat, Mian Mobeen & Yang, Maria C., 2017. "Understanding the role of visual appeal in consumer preference for residential solar panels," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1569-1579.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:113:y:2017:i:c:p:1569-1579
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2017.07.021
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    5. Shengyuan Li & Zhonghua Gou, 2023. "Accepting Solar Photovoltaic Panels in Rural Landscapes: The Tangle among Nostalgia, Morality, and Economic Stakes," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-19, October.
    6. L'Her, G.F. & Osborne, A.G. & Flanagan, R.R. & Deinert, M.R., 2024. "Localized economic and environmental benefits of residential solar in the United States," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    7. Brenner, Werner & Adamovic, Nadja, 2019. "Creating Sustainable Photovoltaics for Smart Cities," Proceedings of the ENTRENOVA - ENTerprise REsearch InNOVAtion Conference (2019), Rovinj, Croatia, in: Proceedings of the ENTRENOVA - ENTerprise REsearch InNOVAtion Conference, Rovinj, Croatia, 12-14 September 2019, pages 531-535, IRENET - Society for Advancing Innovation and Research in Economy, Zagreb.
    8. Paolo Bragolusi & Chiara D’Alpaos, 2021. "The Willingness to Pay for Residential PV Plants in Italy: A Discrete Choice Experiment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-13, September.
    9. Bao, Qifang & Sinitskaya, Ekaterina & Gomez, Kelley J. & MacDonald, Erin F. & Yang, Maria C., 2020. "A human-centered design approach to evaluating factors in residential solar PV adoption: A survey of homeowners in California and Massachusetts," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 503-513.
    10. Woo, JongRoul & Moon, Sungho & Choi, Hyunhong, 2022. "Economic value and acceptability of advanced solar power systems for multi-unit residential buildings: The case of South Korea," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 324(C).
    11. Khan, Hassan Abbas & Ahmad, Husnain Fateh & Nasir, Mashood & Nadeem, Muhammad Fatiq & Zaffar, Nauman Ahmed, 2018. "Decentralised electric power delivery for rural electrification in Pakistan," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 312-323.
    12. Sánchez-Pantoja, Núria & Vidal, Rosario & Pastor, M. Carmen, 2018. "Aesthetic impact of solar energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 227-238.
    13. Petrovich, Beatrice & Hille, Stefanie Lena & Wüstenhagen, Rolf, 2019. "Beauty and the budget: A segmentation of residential solar adopters," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-1.

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