• Energy Research

Private households account for at least 60% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, gaining a better understanding of the drivers behind carbon footprints is highly relevant. Traditionally, carbon footprint levels and material prosperity have been viewed as closely intertwined, with a low carbon footprint even seen as an indication of deprivation. However, a low carbon footprint can also arise from a sufficiency-oriented lifestyle. In our study, based on a 2022 demographically representative survey of the adult population in Germany, we estimate linear and multinomial regression models to investigate the influence of individuals' sufficiency orientation and deprivation on carbon footprints. We examine both the aggregated carbon footprint and its breakdown into specific activities, including space and water heating, electricity consumption, transport, and food. We find that having a higher sufficiency orientation is associated with a lower individual's aggregated carbon footprint and a lower carbon footprint of each specific activity, except space and water heating, ceteris paribus. In contrast, we only find evidence that deprivation negatively correlates with the carbon footprint related to transport. These results are valid across various robustness tests, and provide valuable insights for policy-making.

This dataset and codebook correspond to the initial round of survey data gathered in Denmark in 2022, within the project FULFILL - Fundamental Decarbonisation Through Sufficiency By Lifestyle Changes. As part of Work Package 3 (WP3) in the FULFILL project, we collected quantitative data from six countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, and India. In the first round of the survey, we recruited a representative sample of approximately 2000 households in each country, taking into account both the individual and household perspectives. The survey includes a quantitative assessment of the carbon footprint in various domains of life, such as housing, mobility, and diet. In addition to this, the survey also measures socio-economic factors such as age, gender, income, education, household size, life stage, and political orientation. Furthermore, the survey includes measures of quality of life, encompassing aspects such as health and well-being, environmental quality, financial security, and comfort.

This dataset and codebook correspond to the second round of survey data gathered in Germany in 2023, within the project FULFILL - Fundamental Decarbonisation Through Sufficiency By Lifestyle Changes. As part of Work Package 3 (WP3) in the FULFILL project, we collected quantitative data from six countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, and India. The first round of the survey, consisted of recruiting a representative sample of approximately 2000 households in each country. In this second survey round, we recruit around 500 respondents from the initial survey round, ensuring representativity is maintained. This survey is very similar to the survey in the first round and includes a lot of identical items, including a quantitative assessment of the carbon footprint in the housing, mobility, and diet sectors, socio-economic factors such as age, gender, income, education, household size, life stage, and political orientation. Furthermore, the survey includes measures of quality of life, encompassing aspects such as health and well-being, environmental quality, financial security, and comfort. New for this second round, we have incorporated questions regarding the measures respondents adopted in response to the 2022 energy crisis.

SONNET aims to create an inter- and transdisciplinary understanding of the diversity and processes of social innovations in the energy sector (SIE) using an innovative mixed-method research design. As part of work package 5 of the SONNET project, large sample, demographically representative online surveys were carried out in three European Union (EU) member states: France (FR) (2,096 respondents), Germany (DE) (1,997 respondents) and Poland (PL) (2,048 respondents).The surveys consist of a general part and a specific part focussing on selected SIE. The general part of these surveys investigates socio-economic characteristics, citizens’ values and attitudes, socio-cultural characteristics (incl. gender) and socio-political opinions. This report provides an overview of the main descriptive results of this general part with a focus on those questions that were asked to all participants. Additionally, the survey included experiments, namely stated preference discrete choice experiments, to elicit preferences on specific SIE and SIE characteristics.The results presented in this deliverable reveal differences in behaviours and attitudes (e.g. past and planned participation in different types of SIE initiatives, acceptance of energy technologies, environmental behaviours, trust in different institutions) within and across countries.

This dataset and codebook correspond to the initial round of survey data gathered in Germany in 2022, within the project FULFILL - Fundamental Decarbonisation Through Sufficiency By Lifestyle Changes. As part of Work Package 3 (WP3) in the FULFILL project, we collected quantitative data from six countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, and India. In the first round of the survey, we recruited a representative sample of approximately 2000 households in each country, taking into account both the individual and household perspectives. The survey includes a quantitative assessment of the carbon footprint in various domains of life, such as housing, mobility, and diet. In addition to this, the survey also measures socio-economic factors such as age, gender, income, education, household size, life stage, and political orientation. Furthermore, the survey includes measures of quality of life, encompassing aspects such as health and well-being, environmental quality, financial security, and comfort.

This dataset and codebook correspond to the initial round of survey data gathered in France in 2022, within the project FULFILL - Fundamental Decarbonisation Through Sufficiency By Lifestyle Changes. As part of Work Package 3 (WP3) in the FULFILL project, we collected quantitative data from six countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, and India. In the first round of the survey, we recruited a representative sample of approximately 2000 households in each country, taking into account both the individual and household perspectives. The survey includes a quantitative assessment of the carbon footprint in various domains of life, such as housing, mobility, and diet. In addition to this, the survey also measures socio-economic factors such as age, gender, income, education, household size, life stage, and political orientation. Furthermore, the survey includes measures of quality of life, encompassing aspects such as health and well-being, environmental quality, financial security, and comfort.

Renewable electricity procurement auctions (RE auctions) have received much attention for their potential efficiency in reducing the cost of support levels associated with renewable electricity (RE). However, very little attention has been paid to their impact on financing costs. This is problematic as financing costs are central for investors when deciding whether to invest in renewable technologies, and can thus be critical for effective RE deployment. We applied a multi-level risk perspective that comprises country specific, renewable sector related and project related risks. This risk-based approach was used to identify the effect of RE auction implementation on financing costs whilst including relevant further risks. Using a 2-level cross classified multilevel model, it was demonstrated that, contrary to politician’s fears, the implementation of auctions does not increase financing costs. In addition, technology type and the state of development of the finance sector in the specific country were revealed as having a very significant impact on the cost of capital. Our findings indicate that in order to promote the deployment of RE technologies, policy makers should not focus on whether or not to deploy auctions, but on general financial conditions, the type of remuneration scheme, and risk mitigation in general.

This dataset and codebook correspond to the initial round of survey data gathered in Italy in 2022, within the project FULFILL - Fundamental Decarbonisation Through Sufficiency By Lifestyle Changes. As part of Work Package 3 (WP3) in the FULFILL project, we collected quantitative data from six countries: Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, and India. In the first round of the survey, we recruited a representative sample of approximately 2000 households in each country, taking into account both the individual and household perspectives. The survey includes a quantitative assessment of the carbon footprint in various domains of life, such as housing, mobility, and diet. In addition to this, the survey also measures socio-economic factors such as age, gender, income, education, household size, life stage, and political orientation. Furthermore, the survey includes measures of quality of life, encompassing aspects such as health and well-being, environmental quality, financial security, and comfort.