Own power: Motives of having electricity without the energy company

• Published in: Energy policy Vol. 39; no. 9; pp. 5621 - 5629
• Main Authors: Leenheer, Jorna, de Nooij, Michiel, Sheikh, Omer
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2011; Elsevier; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Series: Energy Policy
• Subjects: Applied psychology; Applied sciences; Attitudes; Biological and medical sciences; business enterprises; Clean technology; Consumer surveys; Consumers; Direct power generation; Drivers; Electric power; Electric power generation; Electric utilities; Electricity; Electricity generation; Energy; Energy conservation; Energy economics; Energy efficiency; Energy policy; Energy use; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General, economic and professional studies; Households; Miscellaneous; Netherlands; New technology; Own power; Own power Electricity Sustainability; Power generation; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Studies; Surveys; Sustainability; Technology; Netherlands; Europe; Electricity; Sustainability; Own power; On site energy production; Survey; Motivation; Behavioral analysis; Intention; Electric power production; Modeling; Residential sector
• ISSN: 0301-4215; 1873-6777
• DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2011.04.037

New technologies will enable households to generate an increasing amount of their own electricity. Intentions to generate own power are a preliminary step towards actual behavior. Because own generation is still very limited and the behavior of early adopters may not be representative for the complete population, our study focuses on intentions rather than actual behavior. A consumer survey among 2047 Dutch households reveals that environmental concerns are the most important driver of a household's intention to generate its own power. Affinity with technology and energy and the reputation of electricity companies are also significant drivers, but financial factors and power outages are not. About 40% of Dutch households have an intention to generate their own power, with an overrepresentation of young households. This group falls apart in two sub segments; for the “generating savers” (21%) a high intention to generate own power coincides with a high intention to save energy, whereas generating users (18%) combine a high intention to generate own power with a low intention to save energy. ► A consumer survey studies household intentions to generate own power. ► Environmental concerns are the most important motive for generating own power. ► Other drivers are affinity with technology and reputation of electricity companies. ► About 40% of Dutch households feel a need to generate their own electricity.