Determinants of residential photovoltaic adoption intention – A meta-analysis

For reaching global goals to reduce carbon emissions to a net zero by 2050, the decarbonisation of the residential sector is of central importance. As this process largely depends on individual decision-making to adopt low-carbon energy sources, and residential photovoltaic (PV) systems are a central component of this transition, the antecedents of residential adoption of PV systems have been researched widely to help accelerate diffusion. The roles of socio-demographic and general personal motivations, such as environmental concern and innovativeness, have been investigated frequently, and theories capturing beliefs about PV, or the innovative and pro-environmental aspects of the product are used as theoretical backgrounds to understand adoption decisions. However, due to the different theoretical perspectives and explanatory variables, questions remain regarding the role of predictors for PV adoption. Aggregating empirical evidence is further hampered by inconsistencies among studies concerning the use and operationalization of predictors, different sampling procedures and contexts.

To advance research from the existing literature body, a statistical meta-analysis is performed that aims to reveal patterns of relationships among explanatory variables and residential PV adoption. Theory development is advanced by determining point estimates of relationships between adoption intention and socio-demographic variables, the typical Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) constructs, and additional variables related to environmental attitudes and innovativeness. Furthermore, following the meta-analytical structural equation modelling (MASEM) approach as outlined by and applied by, the suitability of an (extended) TPB model to replicate the extracted data is assessed. In addition, implications for future studies to enhance future aggregation of scientific evidence are derived.