Abstract
This task examines the motivations and barriers of adopting microgeneration technologies in residential sector and estimates the willingness to pay for individual microgeneration technologies. Our literature review shows that the major barrier identified in previous studies are high capital costs.
Although all the studies recognise it as the most important barrier to wider spread of microgeneration technologies in the residential sector, there are yet other barriers than strictly costs related that have a significant influence and that must be targeted if the anticipated effect of microgeneration on energy markets is to be met. Further determinants influencing the decision of a household to adopt a microgeneration technology identified in the literature can be grouped into following categories: i) cost related determinants, ii) non-monetary determinants - environmental concern and self-sufficiency, iii) subjective norms related determinants, iv) determinants related to lack of information and v) compatibility related determinants.
The willingness to pay was estimated for eight microgeneration technologies using the stated preference technique with double bounded dichotomous choice format. The lowest mean WTP is estimated for wind turbine, it is 71,500 CZK (2,600 EUR), then for solar thermal system it is 76,650 CZK (2,790 EUR), for photovoltaic system it is estimated at 85,300 CZK (3,100 EUR) and the highest mean WTP from the complementary microgeneration technologies is estimated for hybrid solar systems at 86,000 CZK (3,130 EUR).
The estimated mean WTP for the microgeneration technologies that would replace the current heating system is slightly higher. Mean WTP for purchasing co-generating biomass boiler is estimated at 91,200 CZK (3,300 EUR), for natural gas CHP it is 93,400 CZK (3,400 EUR), for fuel cells it is 106,700 CZK (3,880 EUR) and the highest mean WTP is derived for heat pump at 114,600 CZK (4,170 EUR).