Factors affecting Norwegian households' adaptive energy performance upgrades in response to the energy crisis

Abstract

Energy performance upgrading behaviours in relation to buildings are crucial in mitigating carbon emissions. The related concept of "building energy performance improvement" is typically associated with building retrofits or investments in energy-efficient appliances. Determinants of flexible energy use adoption and installation of private photovoltaic (PV) panels are understudied in the Norwegian context.

The objective of this paper is to identify the key socio-demographic, dwelling, household contextual, and psychological factors that have a significant impact on household energy efficiency behaviours in different categories, including private PV installation, flexible electricity use, and dwelling energy efficiency upgrading. This study applied household-based survey data collected in 2023 from Norway and employed repeated measures ANOVAs and the Lasso regression model.

The findings indicate a substantial increase in household energy efficiency behaviours over the past three years, with the anticipated tripling of households for private PV adoption and doubling for flexible energy use for the next three years. After the energy crisis, the substantial increase in electricity prices significantly amplifies households' intentions to adopt PV systems, and the household's commitment to supporting the energy system serves as a motivational factor for respondents to participate in flexible energy use.