A study of 684,000 people living in Connecticut found that individuals, especially those in high-income communities, were more likely to adopt solar energy for their homes when exposed to self-interest campaigns than to prosocial campaigns emphasizing community benefits of solar energy; however, exposure to prosocial campaigns led to increased peer recommendations from adopters of solar energy and increased satisfaction with solar energy installations, according to the authors.
Article #20-04428: "Field experimental evidence shows that self-interest attracts more sunlight," by Bryan Bollinger, Kenneth T. Gillingham, and Marten Ovaere.
MEDIA CONTACT: Kenneth Gillingham, Yale University, New Haven, CT; tel: 203-436-5465; email: kenneth.gillingham@yale.edu
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences