Search the EPA Research Database

Project title

Economics of Renewable Energy: Modelling the uptake of low-carbon energy technology in the residential sector

Primary Funding Agency

Irish Research Council

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

Environmental Protection Agency

Lead Organisation

University College Dublin (UCD)

Lead Applicant

n/a

Project Abstract

The European Union�s Renewable Energy directive stipulates a binding target of 20% final energy consumption from renewables, 20% cut in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels, and 20% improvement in energy efficiency by 2020. European nations have, therefore, started to integrate more and more renewable and energy efficient technologies into their energy systems to facilitate their transition to a lowcarbon economy. Increasing electrification of heat and transport, however, has significant consequences for power systems. Areas with high uptake of electricity-consuming and -generating technologies could experience a decrease in power quality or even local network outages. Thus, at the level of generation and transmission of electricity, the security of supply needs to be ensured to cope with changes in demand and user profiles. The key to planning for the energy transition is, therefore, to be able to estimate and forecast the uptake of individual technologies, their related electricity use, and the likely location and timing of adoption. Ireland has had relatively slow progress in consumer uptake of low-carbon energy technology. There is a need for not only better policy design to encourage adoption, but also an estimation of potential adoption trajectories and their implications for network planning following the implementation of policies that improve uptake. This research will address this gap by developing a methodology to estimate residential adoption of three main electricityconsuming and -generating technologies entering the Irish market - electric vehicles, solar PVs and heat pumps. It will develop a novel technology adoption model based on an existing model developed for the Australian electric vehicle market. It will use inputs from a large-scale Irish survey and discrete choice experiment to do this. Although applied to the case study of Ireland, the model will be applicable to other countries that want to understand their own future energy technology adoption patterns.

Grant Approved

�24,000.00

Research Hub

n/a

Research Theme

Climate Solutions, Transition Management and Opportunities

Start Date

01/09/2019

Initial Projected Completion Date

31/08/2020