A qualitative analysis of consumer motivations and barriers towards active smart meter utilization

IF 9.3 2区经济学 Q1 ECONOMICS

Energy Policy Pub Date : 2025-04-18 DOI:10.1016/j.enpol.2025.114623

Philipp Thunshirn, Ines Mlinaric, Jana Berg

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Smart meter technology provides a range of benefits to residential endusers from reducing their energy consumption, increase renewable energy deployment and generate cost savings. Although the infrastructure in Vienna, Austria, is nearly fully deployed, the active utilization of smart meter functionalities, which is key to leverage its full potential, remains poor. This research explores motivational factors and barriers using qualitative data from 26 semi-structured interviews conducted in Vienna, Austria. In general, the willingness to use smart meters is high; however, awareness about their functionalities is low. Besides well-known factors of pro-environmental behavior and cost-savings analyzed in available literature, our results point out the relevance of self-determination, which is key for utilization. On the other side, information decifit, cognitive load, risk-aversion, have been identified as key barriers to utilization. Based on our results, we compare the findings to other countries with different rollout strategies. Finally, practical policy recommendations are discussed to increase active smart meter utilization.

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对主动智能电表使用的消费者动机和障碍的定性分析

智能电表技术为住宅终端用户提供了一系列好处，减少了能源消耗，增加了可再生能源的部署，并节省了成本。尽管奥地利维也纳的基础设施几乎完全部署，但智能电表功能的积极利用仍然很差，而智能电表功能是充分发挥其潜力的关键。本研究利用在奥地利维也纳进行的26次半结构化访谈的定性数据探讨了动机因素和障碍。一般来说，使用智能电表的意愿较高；然而，人们对其功能的认识很低。除了在现有文献中分析了众所周知的亲环境行为和成本节约因素外，我们的研究结果指出了自我决定的相关性，这是利用的关键。另一方面，信息赤字、认知负荷、风险规避被认为是利用的主要障碍。根据我们的研究结果，我们将研究结果与采用不同推广策略的其他国家进行了比较。最后，讨论了提高主动智能电表利用率的实用政策建议。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Energy Policy 管理科学-环境科学

CiteScore

17.30

自引率

5.60%

发文量

540

审稿时长

7.9 months

期刊介绍： Energy policy is the manner in which a given entity (often governmental) has decided to address issues of energy development including energy conversion, distribution and use as well as reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in order to contribute to climate change mitigation. The attributes of energy policy may include legislation, international treaties, incentives to investment, guidelines for energy conservation, taxation and other public policy techniques. Energy policy is closely related to climate change policy because totalled worldwide the energy sector emits more greenhouse gas than other sectors.