CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2016
| Author | Mejia, Ana Gloria |
|---|---|
| Title | California's Single Family Affordable Solar Homes Program: Investigating the Potential for a Rebound Effect |
| Summary | In California, a series of solar incentives were launched in 2006 to increase domestic energy generation while tackling rising carbon emissions. One of those incentives is the Single-family Affordable Solar Homes (SASH) program which offers low to no-cost solar PV systems to qualified low-income families. This program combines the use of solar energy and energy efficiency improvements to reduce the burden of high energy bills on low-income families and promote energy savings. However, a growing number of studies have found that the energy savings resulting from improvements in efficiency have been offset due to adverse energy consumption behavior. In energy economics, this is termed the rebound effect. The purpose of this study was to conduct an evaluation of the SASH program to determine if the potential for a rebound effect exists. The results of the program evaluation found that participants may be likely to engage in adverse energy use behavior as a result of switching to solar energy, enacting energy efficiency measures, and gaining awareness about their relative energy consumption. The implications of this finding are that solar incentives, may not be as effective in promoting energy savings as they are perceived to be. Due to the limited scope of this study and unavailability of gross consumption data, further research is needed to determine whether the rebound effect does indeed pose a threat to energy savings. |
| Supervisor | Zoltan, Illes |
| Department | Environment Sciences and Policy MSc |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2016/mejia_ana.pdf |
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