Work

How (Co-)Ownership in Renewables Improves Heating Usage Behaviour and the Willingness to Adopt Energy-Efficient Technologies—Data from German Households

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: In the housing sector emission reduction builds on a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources and increasing the efficiency of energy usage, with heating playing a dominant role in comparison to that of electricity. For electricity production in the residential sector, research shows that different settings of (co-)ownership in renewables are linked to a greater tendency to invest in energy-efficient devices or to adopt more energy-conscious behaviours. The empirical analysis demonstrates that fully-fledged prosumers, i.e., consumers who have the option to choose between self-consumption and selling to third parties or the grid, exhibit a higher tendency to invest in energy efficiency and that only this group manifests a greater likelihood of engaging in conscious-energy consumption behaviour. This paper extends the analysis to include heating in the residential sector. The study conducted an ANCOVA based on a sample of 2585 German households. The findings show that, depending on the (co-)ownership setting, the willingness to invest and to adopt energy-efficient practices grows considerably. Consumer-sellers demonstrate the highest willingness to invest and adapt energy conscious behaviour. Furthermore, regarding heating in particular, self-consumers are also inclined to invest and engage in energy-savings behaviour.

Source: Energies

DOI: 10.3390/en18123114

Authors: Renan Magalhães, Jens Lowitzsch, Federico Narracci

Institution: European University Viadrina

Language: English

Topic: Environmental Education and Sustainability

Subfield: Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Affordable and clean energy, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137