Neighborhood influences on the diffusion of residential photovoltaic systems in Kyoto City, Japan

Takanobu Kosugi, Yoshiyuki Shimoda and Takayuki Tashiro
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Yoshiyuki Shimoda: Osaka University
Takayuki Tashiro: Environment Policy Bureau, City of Kyoto

Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, 2019, vol. 21, issue 4, No 1, 477-505

Abstract: Abstract This study investigates the factors influencing the diffusion of residential photovoltaic systems. Factors examined are related to social attributes, such as population structure and living environment within neighborhoods and those close by, together with a neighbor effect revealed as a positive spatial dependency of the diffusion. To examine these factors simultaneously, the study applies a spatial econometric analysis, taking advantage of the availability of cumulative data on installed residential photovoltaic systems and census-based social attributes in about 4000 census blocks in Kyoto City, which include 1.47 million people. Results include: (1) an observed neighbor effect, especially between census blocks within a radius of 1000 m; (2) evidence that diffusion is positively influenced in a census block by lower population density and higher number of household members, as well as by lower ratios of detached houses and lower population densities in nearby census blocks; and (3) indication that diffusion is positively influenced by a higher proportion of young people through various mechanisms. To further facilitate the diffusion, implementing non-economic measures designed in light of the observed neighborhood influences is recommended, in addition to conventional economic support measures.

Keywords: Peer effects; Spatial autoregression; Solar photovoltaic power generation; Demographic structure; Living environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C31 Q42 R12 R23 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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DOI: 10.1007/s10018-019-00239-5

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