Research on noneconomic factors relevant to the diffusion of Solar Total Energy Systems

Technical Report · Fri Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:5232385

Berry, L G; Bronfman, L M

This report has two major purposes: (1) to review and evaluate the policy uses of some of the concepts and models found in diffusion-of-innovation literatures other than those of economics and marketing and (2) to apply the results of this review to the specific case of a Solar Total Energy System (STES). The research effort had three parts. The first part was to identify and obtain an overview of the noneconomics social science literatures relevant to the problem of forecasting and accelerating adoption rates. After the first part was completed and the principal research perspectives and researchers in the field had been identified, a workshop of experts was organized to address the problem of predicting and accelerating diffusion rates for STESs. Finally, the results of the literature review and the workshop were summarized, and a number of approaches suggested by the diffusion literature were used to obtain an evaluation of the adoption potential of STES. Major conclusions of the report are (1) diffusion models have a limited predictive value; (2) a number of general policy guidelines for programs aimed at increasing diffusion rates are provided by the literature; and (3) STES diffusion is likely to be rather slow unless substantial contextual changes or policy interventions take place.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 5232385
• Report Number(s): ORNL/TM-7297
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140704* -- Solar Thermal Power Systems-- Total Energy & Hybrid Systems-- (1980-)
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290800 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Heat Utilization-- (1980-)
299001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Solar-- (1989-)
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
EVALUATION
FORECASTING
INFORMATION
MARKET
MARKETING RESEARCH
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
REVIEWS
SOLAR ENERGY
SURVEYS
TECHNOLOGY UTILIZATION
TOTAL ENERGY SYSTEMS