How can we encourage as many households as possible to adopt solar panels, energy storage batteries, heat pumps, and electric vehicles? Researchers have explored this important topic.
How can we encourage as many households as possible to adopt solar panels, energy storage batteries, heat pumps, and electric vehicles? This question has been investigated by researchers at the Universities of Basel and Geneva.
For climate protection and energy transformation to succeed, private homes must play a crucial role by embracing sustainable technologies such as solar panels, electric cars, and heat pumps. Dr. Mart van der Kam and Professor Ulf Hahnel from the University of Basel, Switzerland, have studied the necessary political actions to help achieve this potential.
Collaborating with researchers from the University of Geneva, their team surveyed almost 1,500 Swiss households to understand their motivations behind choosing or not choosing eco-friendly technologies. They used the data to create a dynamic model simulating households and their interactions as societal decision-makers. This model enabled the researchers to assess which policy initiatives would best align with households’ needs and thus promote greater adoption of these technologies. Their results were recently published in Cell Reports Sustainability.
Individual incentives have limited impact
Mart van der Kam recognizes that growing competition among manufacturers is making eco-friendly technologies like electric cars more affordable and appealing to consumers. However, he asserts that political measures are essential for enhancing the adoption of technologies such as solar panels and heat pumps. “The key factor isn’t individual incentives, but rather finding the right combination of political measures,” he stresses, highlighting their research conclusions.
For instance, subsidies for solar panels or heat pumps represent only part of the solution. It’s equally important to eliminate barriers that inhibit renters from utilizing these technologies. “Historically, building owners have had to invest, while renters have reaped the benefits of lower energy costs,” van der Kam explains. This has diminished the appeal for owners to invest.
Addressing renter challenges
The situation with solar panels illustrates how governmental support can remove obstacles for renters: for several years, renters have had the opportunity to install solar panels on their balconies. Van der Kam proposes that similar policies for heat pumps and energy storage may emerge in the future, potentially in the form of neighborhood batteries that collect solar power from multiple buildings or an entire area at once for shared use.
“Close to two-thirds of Swiss households are renters. This presents a vast, untapped opportunity that could greatly advance the energy transformation,” says Ulf Hahnel. He advocates for interdisciplinary research that not only considers technological advancements but also the diverse preferences of consumers to develop targeted incentive programs and strategies. “It is crucial to integrate various disciplines and their methods to address the complex challenges of climate change and energy transformation,” Hahnel emphasizes.
