Residential Solar Water Heater Adoption Behaviour: A Review of Economic and Technical Predictors and Their Correlation with the Adoption Decision

Abstract

The successful deployment of the solar water heater (SWH) in the residential sector relies on the household’s bounded rational decision-makers to accept this system. The decision is shaped by a wide spectrum of predictors that form heterogeneous behaviour. Over the past years, research has employed a wide range of these predictors to understand their role in the decision and predict the behaviour and diffusion rate of SWHs. This review primarily identifies economic and technical predictors of 100 quantitative and qualitative studies on the residential SWH adoption decision. For the identified predictors, their characteristics and popularity are explored in a structured and coherent framework. The review further investigates the correlation between the identified predictors and the adoption decision from 97 of the 100 initially reviewed studies. The outcome of the research revealed 123 (56 economic and 67 technical) predictors that were classified into seven categories. ‘Financial incentives’ and ‘perceived attitude towards government policies’ are among the most popular economic predictors, whereas ‘house type’ and ‘knowledge of SWH’ were the most frequent technical factors in the research. Analysing the correlation between 99 predictors and the decision also unfolded that certain attitudinal attributes have a stronger influence on the residential SWH take-up than some common factors (e.g., electricity cost, technical variables).

Trends in residential sustainability measures in the state of Victoria

“…In their evaluation of the significance of different predictors of the adoption of solar water heaters, Ghaboulian Zare, Hafezi [24] found that certain attitudinal attributes (such as individual perceptions of the technology) have a stronger influence on the adoption of solar water heaters than factors such as electricity cost. In their analysis of 100 studies on the adoption decision for residential solar water heaters, 123 predictors were identified.…”

Unraveling consumer behavioral intentions to adopt solar water heaters in India using UTAUT model

“…It is a prominent application of solar energy, which converts sunlight's thermal energy into heat for heating water (Nasirov et al, 2021). It has become increasingly technically reliable and affordable, with several policies in place to promote its uptake (Ghaboulian et al, 2021). However, its adoption has remained somewhat restricted in the past decades, and individual behavior regarding adopting SWHs is central to the problem (Nasirov et al, 2021).…”

“…A few studies on SWHs focused on the adoption and policy initiatives to promote the adoption of SWHs (Chen et al, 2016;Han et al, 2010). Ghaboulian et al (2021) evaluated the technical and economic predictors of SWHs, and Naidoo (2020) comprehended the socio-economic impact of SWHs on the Cato Manor community. The public perception regarding SWHs and the role of tax credits in their promotion was studied by Nasirov (2021).…”

“…, 2021). It has become increasingly technically reliable and affordable, with several policies in place to promote its uptake (Ghaboulian et al. , 2021).…”

“…, 2010). Ghaboulian et al. (2021) evaluated the technical and economic predictors of SWHs, and Naidoo (2020) comprehended the socio-economic impact of SWHs on the Cato Manor community.…”