This research project, which is funded by the United States Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technology Office, and is led by the University of Delaware, seeks to better understand trends, barriers, motivations and catalysts related to the purchase of electric vehicles (EVs) and the purchase and installation of rooftop solar panels photovoltaics (RPV). The goal is to help society lower the non-technological barriers to purchase (what researchers refer to as consumer “adoption”) of these items and to their co-adoption.
The research project commenced during the summer of 2021. The research team will refine the research questions and update the literature review, followed by semi-structured interviews of key informants. The information gained from the interviews will feed into the design of a survey, which will examine adoption practices and attitudes. A second survey will evaluate the effect of different low-cost interventions in increasing the co-adoption of solar panels and EVs.
Through outreach efforts the research project will outline strategies for local government officials, state program administrators and industry for the design of programs and practices to facilitate the adoption of solar panels and EVs and their co-adoption.
The research team also includes experts from UC Davis, University of Chicago, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL), and an independent consultant. To enhance the prospects that the universe of motivations and barriers to co-adoption are considered by the research team and to facilitate broad dissemination of the findings, we also have formed a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC).