The Role of Peer Influence in Rooftop Solar Adoption Inequity in the United States

Individual demand for emerging technologies can be influenced by the demand of other individuals within defined peer groups. These so-called peer effects have been demonstrated in emerging clean energy technologies such as rooftop solar. To date, peer effects have disproportionately driven solar adoption among relatively affluent households. Here, we use household-level income estimates of rooftop solar adopters to explore how peer effects drive adoption across income levels. We find evidence of peer effects at all income levels and find that peer effects are generally stronger within than across income groups. Our results indicate that peer effects translate to adoption less frequently among low-income households. These results suggest that low-income peer effects are mitigated by barriers to low-income adoption. Heterogeneous peer influence is another demand shifter that explains the inequitable adoption of emerging technologies