Transitioning towards sustainable heating: A mixed-methods study of heat pump acceptance among Flemish homeowners

IF 6.9 2区经济学 Q1 ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Energy Research & Social Science Pub Date : 2025-05-17 DOI:10.1016/j.erss.2025.104137

Emma Martens , Sofie Naeyaert , Stephanie Van Hove , Sabine Pelka , Sabine Preuß , Marta Gabriel , Peter Conradie , Koen Ponnet

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Abstract

To meet EU climate goals, reducing fossil fuel use is crucial, and transitioning domestic energy consumption to sustainable sources like heat pumps offers a potential solution. However, uptake in Flanders remains low. This study explores predictors of heat pump adoption intention among Flemish homeowners using a mixed-methods approach. A quantitative survey based on an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour model (Study 1, n = 692, M_age = 55.03, SD_age = 15.54, male/female = 335/357) is complemented by semi-structured interviews with homeowners who do not own a heat pump (Study 2, n = 16, M_age = 41, SD_age = 35, male/female = 8/8). Study 1 indicates that perceived behavioural control and subjective norms positively influence heat pump adoption intention, with perceived behavioural control enhanced by product knowledge and technological innovativeness. Surprisingly, a positive attitude towards heat pumps is associated with a lower adoption intention. Study 2 reveals cost concerns, uncertainties about energy cost savings and property value increases as barriers to adoption intention, alongside a temporal disconnect between attitude and intention due to practical constraints. Our findings offer suggestions for communication strategies of policy makers such as addressing financial and practical barriers, mitigating practical constraints and enhancing public knowledge. Lastly, our survey results suggest the presence of yet unidentified moderating variables affecting the attitude-intention relationship, which could be determined in future research.

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向可持续供暖过渡：弗拉芒房主接受热泵的混合方法研究

为了实现欧盟的气候目标，减少化石燃料的使用至关重要，而将国内能源消费转变为热泵等可持续能源提供了一个潜在的解决方案。然而，法兰德斯的吸收率仍然很低。本研究探讨了热泵采用意图的预测佛兰德房主使用混合方法的方法。一项基于扩展计划行为理论模型的定量调查（研究1，n = 692, Mage = 55.03, SDage = 15.54，男性/女性= 335/357）辅以对没有热泵的房主的半结构化访谈（研究2，n = 16, Mage = 41, SDage = 35，男性/女性= 8/8）。研究1表明，感知行为控制和主观规范正向影响热泵采用意愿，感知行为控制被产品知识和技术创新增强。令人惊讶的是，对热泵的积极态度与较低的采用意愿相关。研究2显示，成本问题、能源成本节约和财产价值的不确定性增加是采用意愿的障碍，同时由于实际限制，态度和意愿之间存在暂时的脱节。我们的研究结果为决策者的沟通策略提供了建议，如解决财政和实际障碍，减轻实际限制和提高公众知识。最后，我们的调查结果表明，存在尚未确定的调节变量影响态度-意向关系，可以在未来的研究中确定。

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来源期刊

Energy Research & Social Science ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES-

CiteScore

14.00

自引率

16.40%

发文量

441

审稿时长

55 days

期刊介绍： Energy Research & Social Science (ERSS) is a peer-reviewed international journal that publishes original research and review articles examining the relationship between energy systems and society. ERSS covers a range of topics revolving around the intersection of energy technologies, fuels, and resources on one side and social processes and influences - including communities of energy users, people affected by energy production, social institutions, customs, traditions, behaviors, and policies - on the other. Put another way, ERSS investigates the social system surrounding energy technology and hardware. ERSS is relevant for energy practitioners, researchers interested in the social aspects of energy production or use, and policymakers. Energy Research & Social Science (ERSS) provides an interdisciplinary forum to discuss how social and technical issues related to energy production and consumption interact. Energy production, distribution, and consumption all have both technical and human components, and the latter involves the human causes and consequences of energy-related activities and processes as well as social structures that shape how people interact with energy systems. Energy analysis, therefore, needs to look beyond the dimensions of technology and economics to include these social and human elements.