Homeowners’ Motivations to Invest in Energy-Efficient and Renewable Energy Technologies in Rural Iowa

Abstract

Across the United States, rural households are more vulnerable to higher energy burdens (percentage of household income spent on energy bills). Energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies provide the means for improving energy performance and reducing the operating costs of residential buildings. While there is significant evidence regarding their benefits, the investment in these technologies can be significantly lower in rural areas. In this study, we analyze the adoption behaviors of rural households concerning five technologies: Smart thermostats, light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, weatherization, Energy Star-rated appliances, and rooftop solar panels. Previous research on the motivations and barriers underlying the adoption of these technologies has primarily focused on urban and suburban areas. This study adopted a qualitative approach in eight rural Iowa communities (Boone, Nevada, Pella, Solon, Swisher, Williamsburg, Kelley, and Elkhart), where 39 (N = 39) rural homeowners were interviewed. Our findings demonstrate that motivations to adopt energy-efficient and renewable energy technologies are driven by reduced energy costs, local availability of appliances or contractors, and environmental impact. By contrast, barriers to the adoption of these technologies are largely driven by high costs, insufficient information about the technologies, and the local availability of appliances or contractors. The qualitative data obtained from the interviews moves beyond survey-based data, providing inductive explanations for adoption behaviors among rural households. While the findings presented herein are designed to increase the awareness of energy-efficiency program administrators and policymakers, the paper does not suggest that the results and discussion are necessarily applicable to all rural regions. Rather, these results are primarily applicable to communities across rural Iowa.