TY - JOUR
T1 - Questioning the Sun
T2 - Unexpected emissions implications from residential solar photovoltaic systems
AU - Okuyama, Akihiro
AU - Yoo, Sunbin
AU - Kumagai, Junya
AU - Keeley, Alexander Ryota
AU - Managi, Shunsuke
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021
PY - 2022/1
Y1 - 2022/1
N2 - Reaching carbon neutrality would require the retirement of conventional power sources and substitution with renewable energy sources. Given that immediate substitution from conventional to renewable power sources is not feasible in the status quo, we investigate whether adding residential solar photovoltaic (PV) technology in addition to conventional power sources would reduce residential emissions. We use a large survey dataset of more than 300,000 observations and employ a structural equation model (SEM) to validate our findings. Interestingly, emissions increase by 1.75% if residential PV is adopted, and Japanese citizens with residential PV systems end up using 3.02% more electricity. We also find that pro-environmental consumers may also produce more emissions with PVs. As a result, reaching target carbon reductions in the residential sector would necessitate eliminating conventional energy sources. We address the policy implications for pathways to reduce residential emissions.
AB - Reaching carbon neutrality would require the retirement of conventional power sources and substitution with renewable energy sources. Given that immediate substitution from conventional to renewable power sources is not feasible in the status quo, we investigate whether adding residential solar photovoltaic (PV) technology in addition to conventional power sources would reduce residential emissions. We use a large survey dataset of more than 300,000 observations and employ a structural equation model (SEM) to validate our findings. Interestingly, emissions increase by 1.75% if residential PV is adopted, and Japanese citizens with residential PV systems end up using 3.02% more electricity. We also find that pro-environmental consumers may also produce more emissions with PVs. As a result, reaching target carbon reductions in the residential sector would necessitate eliminating conventional energy sources. We address the policy implications for pathways to reduce residential emissions.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85115436274&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85115436274&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105924
DO - 10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105924
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85115436274
VL - 176
JO - Resources, Conservation and Recycling
JF - Resources, Conservation and Recycling
SN - 0921-3449
M1 - 105924
ER -