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Consumer attitude and purchase intention toward rooftop photovoltaic installation: The roles of personal trait, psychological benefit, and government incentives

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  • Pi-Chuan Sun
  • Hsueh-Mei Wang
  • Hsien-Long Huang
  • Chien-Wei Ho

Abstract

Rooftop photovoltaic system is a cheap and abundant energy source that addresses the threat of global warming, and its future success relies on government incentives and marketing strategies designed to improve consumers’ benefit perception. The present study aimed to examine the relationship among personal traits (including environmental concern, an ecological lifestyle, and consumer innovativeness), psychological benefits (including a warm glow and a “nature experience†), attitudes toward rooftop photovoltaic, government incentives, and intentions to install rooftop photovoltaic. Empirical data were collected from one nationwide company in Taiwan, and 300 valid questionnaires were collected. The collected data were analyzed using a structural equation model. The results show that an ecological lifestyle, consumer innovativeness, and warm glow affect rooftop photovoltaic installation intention through the attitude toward rooftop photovoltaic. Moreover, government incentives have the strongest influence on this intention. This study integrates personal traits, psychological benefits, attitudes toward rooftop photovoltaic, government incentives, and intentions to install rooftop photovoltaic in a model from the consumer perception theory perspective; it expands the theory regarding planned behavior in the solar photovoltaic research field. This research also provides suggestions for government policymakers and offers a strong theoretical and practical framework for photovoltaic industry marketers.

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  • Pi-Chuan Sun & Hsueh-Mei Wang & Hsien-Long Huang & Chien-Wei Ho, 2020. "Consumer attitude and purchase intention toward rooftop photovoltaic installation: The roles of personal trait, psychological benefit, and government incentives," Energy & Environment, , vol. 31(1), pages 21-39, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:engenv:v:31:y:2020:i:1:p:21-39
    DOI: 10.1177/0958305X17754278
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    3. 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.
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    5. Fabian Scheller & Soren Graupner & James Edwards & Jann Weinand & Thomas Bruckner, 2021. "Active peer effects in residential photovoltaic adoption: evidence on impact drivers among potential and current adopters in Germany," Papers 2105.00796, arXiv.org.
    6. Ghania Mohand Kaci & Achour Mahrane & Kaci Ghedamsi & Madjid Chikh, 2024. "Techno-economic feasibility analysis of grid-connected residential PV systems in Algeria," Energy & Environment, , vol. 35(4), pages 1936-1966, June.
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    12. Uma Shankar Singh & Małgorzata Rutkowska & Paweł Bartoszczuk, 2022. "Renewable Energy Decision Criteria on Green Consumer Values Comparing Poland and India Aligned with Environment Policy for Sustainable Development," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-26, July.
    13. Olawale Fatoki, 2022. "Determinants of Intention to Purchase Photovoltaic Panel System: An Integration of Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Planned Behaviour," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 12(3), pages 432-440, May.
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