Influence of lifestyle management on the increase of household energy self-consumption

Purpose - This study aims to examine the satisfaction of photovoltaic installation users with the facilities they were provided and the whole process of energy production from the sun. Secondly, their attitudes towards increasing self-consumption of the energy that is being produced in their households were under question combined with their readiness to buy new equipment to grow the demand for the energy for their own needs. Finally, a trial to look at the prosumers' moods towards changing law circumstances was undertaken showing the possible future of net-billing/dynamic regulations regarding the process of buying/selling of the produced energy.Design/methodology/approach - To undertake the research a survey among photovoltaic installation users was conducted. The questionnaire consisted of 31 questions which after being formulated were sent to 9 directly chosen PV owners to evaluate them and to make needed amendments. After clarifying minor ambiguities the final version of the survey was administered via the Internet among members of different groups gathering energy prosumers. As the answers were being collected without remuneration and among random participants it is considered to ensure the credibility and impartiality of the research.Findings - The results show that most PV users are satisfied with their installations and do not encounter major technical problems. More than 90% of them reckon the facilities as cost-effective and what is very important at least 20% among them has contracts already on net-billing rules which are less beneficial. Around 70% of respondents try to use the energy in the peak hours of production and nearly 60% adapt their lifestyles to the rhythm of solar energy production. However, only 36% consider buying/installing new energy sources to increase the level of energy self-consumption.Originality/value - Compared to other studies of this kind that had been previously conducted in various countries, this research was undertaken in the environment of changing law circumstances which gives a lot of valuable data. Moreover, while the past studies focused mainly on the other factors determining the development of photovoltaic installations, this survey examined the dependence between lifestyle management and people's attitudes on the increase of household energy self-consumption, thus showing its indirect influence on the development of PVs.