Residential heating systems’ selection process: empirical findings from Greece on the relations between motivation factors and socioeconomic, residence, and spatial characteristics

The residential sector is responsible for a large portion of global energy consumption, with the primary needs consisting of space heating. Therefore, consumers’ decisions concerning the heating system selection play a significant role in shaping the sector's conditions. This study examines the relationship between residential heating systems’ selection-related motivation factors and socioeconomic, residence, and spatial characteristics. A questionnaire survey focusing on the Greek population was performed during 2012 and 2019, with the two samples being examined in parallel. The motivation factors were classified into convenience, market, performance, and cost-related aspects, with performance-related and cost-related aspects being perceived as the most important. Convenience-related aspects are more important for older people and women, while performance-related aspects for individuals with environmentally friendlier behaviour

Factors Affecting Sustainable Market Acceptance of Residential Microgeneration Technologies. A Two Time Period Comparative Analysis

On a global scale, the residential sector is responsible for a significant part of consumed energy, of which the major part is dependent upon fossil fuels. A solution for the reduction of fossil fuel use is the application of residential microgeneration technologies. The present study examines the market acceptance factors of such systems in Greece, as well as how these factors change over time, based on real decisions made by consumers. In this context, two surveys applying a common questionnaire were performed in 2012 and 2019 in order to examine the effects of (a) socioeconomic, residence, and spatial characteristics, (b) environmental awareness and behavior, and (c) factors related to consumer behavior, attitudes, and system attribute preferences. Factors affecting the installation of a microgeneration system are gender, age, income, residence type, ownership and size, environmental behavior, use of a subsidy program, as well as views on costs and market-related issues. When evaluating the effect of these factors over time, socioeconomic and residence characteristics, as well as environmental behavior, seem to have a fixed effect to the installation of residential microgeneration systems, with market acceptance fluctuations being related mainly to market conditions, including existing subsidy programs, expectations on fuel prices, and legislation

Heating and cooling of buildings with the use of renewable energy sources: socioeconomic factors that contribute to the diffusion of ground source heat pumps (GSHP) in the residential sector

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the promotion of renewable energy sources in Greece through the dissemination of ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems in the residential sector. Two surveys examine the factors that influence the publics’ knowledge regarding a) geothermal energy and GSHPs, b) their use for residential heating and cooling and c) the procedures required for the installation of a GSHP system, while the factors that influence the intention of households to install such a system are also examined. A third survey examines the views of people that are involved in the GSHP sector, regarding adoption level of residential GSHP systems, dissemination barriers and actions that can contribute to their adoption.Factors that affect public’s knowledge regarding the issues that are under examination, as well as the intention of installing a residential GSHP system, are gender, age, level of education, employment, income, environmentally friendly behavior and the relevance of profession or interests with the environment, technology or engineering. In addition, the intention of installing such a system is affected by factors related to dwelling characteristics and factors associated with behavior and consumer attitudes and preferences towards specific characteristics of heating systems. According to people involved in the GSHP sector, diffusion barriers can be classified into market barriers, information barriers, regulatory barriers, siting and installation barriers and financial barriers. In accordance, diffusion actions that can contribute to the penetration of the technology can be categorized into awareness activities, financial incentives, regulatory framework and technology improvement.Σκοπός της μελέτης αυτής είναι να συμβάλλει στην προώθηση των ανανεώσιμων πηγών ενέργειας στην Ελλάδα μέσω της διάδοσης των συστημάτων γεωθερμικών αντλιών θερμότητας (ΓΑΘ) στον οικιακό τομέα. Μέσα από δύο έρευνες κοινής γνώμης εξετάζονται οι παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν την ενημέρωση του κοινού όσον αφορά: α) τη γεωθερμία και τις ΓΑΘ, β) τη χρήση τους για οικιακή θέρμανση / ψύξη και γ) τις διαδικασίες που απαιτούνται για την εγκατάσταση ενός συστήματος ΓΑΘ, καθώς και οι παράγοντες που επηρεάζουν την πρόθεση του κοινού να εγκαταστήσει ένα τέτοιο σύστημα. Μία τρίτη έρευνα εξετάζει τις απόψεις των ατόμων που δραστηριοποιούνται στον κλάδο των ΓΑΘ σχετικά με το επίπεδο διάδοσης των οικιακών συστημάτων ΓΑΘ, τα εμπόδια διάδοσης τους και τις δράσεις που μπορούν να συμβάλλουν στην υιοθέτησή τους.Μεταξύ των παραγόντων που επηρεάζουν τη γνώση του κοινού πάνω στα υπό εξέταση θέματα καθώς και την πρόθεση για εγκατάσταση οικιακού συστήματος ΓΑΘ είναι το φύλο, η ηλικία, το επίπεδο σπουδών, η απασχόληση, το εισόδημα, η περιβαλλοντικά φιλική συμπεριφορά και η συνάφεια του επαγγέλματος ή των ενδιαφερόντων με το περιβάλλον, την τεχνολογία ή τη μηχανική. Επίσης, η πρόθεση εγκατάστασης επηρεάζεται από χαρακτηριστικά της κατοικίας και παράγοντες σχετικούς με τη συμπεριφορά και τη στάση των καταναλωτών και τις προτιμήσεις τους έναντι συγκεκριμένων χαρακτηριστικών των συστημάτων θέρμανσης. Τα εμπόδια διείσδυσης των ΓΑΘ μπορούν να ταξινομηθούν σε εμπόδια αγοράς, εμπόδια ενημέρωσης, ρυθμιστικά εμπόδια, εμπόδια χωροθέτησης & εγκατάστασης και οικονομικά εμπόδια. Αντιστοίχως, οι ενέργειες που συμβάλλουν στη διείσδυση της τεχνολογίας μπορούν να κατηγοριοποιηθούν σε δράσεις ενημέρωσης, οικονομικά κίνητρα, ρυθμιστικό πλαίσιο και βελτίωση τεχνολογίας

Awareness and Utilization of Incentive Programs for Household Energy-Saving Renovations: Empirical Findings from Greece

The Greek policy targeting residential energy efficiency has launched the “Residential Energy Saving” financial incentives program to assist in achieving the goals related to reducing energy use and GHG emissions. Considering the research gaps of previous work, the present study examines the sociodemographic, dwelling, and geographical characteristics, and the environmental awareness and behavior that affect individuals’ (a) actual decision to perform an energy-saving renovation of their dwelling; this has been previously examined, but not in the Greek context, (b) awareness of the incentives program; this has not been addressed in previous research, and (c) utilization of the program; this has not been addressed in previous research. Accordingly, we performed a questionnaire-based survey in Greece in 2019 (n = 451). Based on the development of three binary logistic regression models, it is indicated that the decision to perform an energy-saving renovation is affected by ownership status, year of construction, income, and environmental behavior; awareness is affected by education level, environmental awareness, and residence location; use of the incentives program is affected by residence ownership and year of construction, presence of senior citizens and education level. The study’s results, indicating the determinants of energy-saving renovation decisions and awareness and utilization of financial incentives programs, can assist policymakers in planning financial incentives adapted to different characteristics, thus achieving improved awareness and utilization of such tools

Correlations of Seismic Velocities and Elastic Moduli with Temperature in Superhot and Enhanced Geothermal Systems

This paper presents correlations derived by linear regression analysis of seismic velocities VP and VS and elastic moduli EP and ES with temperature in Los Humeros superhot (SHGS) and Acoculco enhanced (EGS) geothermal systems at depths down to 3 km below the surface and temperatures up to approximately 400 °C. In Los Humeros, the seismic velocity models were derived from the inversion of legacy active seismic survey data acquired in 1998, as well as from passive seismic monitoring and ambient seismic noise interferometry carried out during 2017–2019 by the GEMex consortium. In the Acoculco EGS, ambient seismic noise data were used. Steady-state formation temperatures were re-evaluated during and after the end of the GEMex project using measurements provided as a courtesy of the Federal Electricity Commission of Mexico (CFE). The density data needed for the calculation of elastic moduli were provided by the GEMex consortium, as derived from the inversion of regional and local gravity surveys. The analysis indicated that statistically significant correlations of seismic parameters to temperature exist in the vertical direction, namely exponential in Los Humeros superhot and logarithmic in Acoculco EGS, but no correlation was evident in the horizontal direction. This result suggests an indirect relationship among the considered variables due to interdependence on other parameters, such as pressure and vapor saturation. As the analysis was performed using only data obtained from sensing-at-surface methods, without direct geophysical calibration at depth, a distributed fiber-optic seismic and temperature sensing system at both surface and downhole is proposed for active-source and passive seismic monitoring, and seismic-while-drilling by the drill-bit source is considered for reverse vertical seismic profile (RVSP) recording whenever possible for future high-temperature geothermal applications

Examining the Development of a Geothermal Risk Mitigation Scheme in Greece

Geothermal project development entails a number of risks, the most significant of which is the geological risk. The introduction of a risk mitigation scheme (RMS) might enable project developers to shift some of the geological risk to public or private entities. Keeping the above in mind, the objective of this study is to examine the development of an effective and financially feasible geothermal risk mitigation scheme in Greece, i.e., a country with no such scheme available. In this respect, the existing status of the geothermal sector in the country is presented, followed by an evaluation of the financial sustainability of a potential RMS, taking into account different insurance premiums, risk coverages, and project success rates. The results indicate that alternative insurance premium, risk coverage, and success rate requirements would result in different financial preconditions for the foundation either of a public or a private fund. Keeping in mind that in most examined scenarios the initial RMS capital is expended before the end of the ending of the scheme, it is suggested that such a plan can only be initiated by the public sector, which is typical of countries with little-developed geothermal markets

Correlations of Seismic Velocities and Elastic Moduli with Temperature in Superhot and Enhanced Geothermal Systems

This paper presents correlations derived by linear regression analysis of seismic velocities VP and VS and elastic moduli EP and ES with temperature in Los Humeros superhot (SHGS) and Acoculco enhanced (EGS) geothermal systems at depths down to 3 km below the surface and temperatures up to approximately 400 °C. In Los Humeros, the seismic velocity models were derived from the inversion of legacy active seismic survey data acquired in 1998, as well as from passive seismic monitoring and ambient seismic noise interferometry carried out during 2017–2019 by the GEMex consortium. In the Acoculco EGS, ambient seismic noise data were used. Steady-state formation temperatures were re-evaluated during and after the end of the GEMex project using measurements provided as a courtesy of the Federal Electricity Commission of Mexico (CFE). The density data needed for the calculation of elastic moduli were provided by the GEMex consortium, as derived from the inversion of regional and local gravity surveys. The analysis indicated that statistically significant correlations of seismic parameters to temperature exist in the vertical direction, namely exponential in Los Humeros superhot and logarithmic in Acoculco EGS, but no correlation was evident in the horizontal direction. This result suggests an indirect relationship among the considered variables due to interdependence on other parameters, such as pressure and vapor saturation. As the analysis was performed using only data obtained from sensing-at-surface methods, without direct geophysical calibration at depth, a distributed fiber-optic seismic and temperature sensing system at both surface and downhole is proposed for active-source and passive seismic monitoring, and seismic-while-drilling by the drill-bit source is considered for reverse vertical seismic profile (RVSP) recording whenever possible for future high-temperature geothermal applications

Understanding Societal Requirements of CCS Projects: Application of the Societal Embeddedness Level Assessment Methodology in Four National Case Studies

The DigiMon project aims to develop and demonstrate an affordable, flexible, societally embedded, and smart digital monitoring early warning system for any subsurface CO2 storage field. The societal embeddedness level (SEL) assessment is a novel methodology which provides insight into the societal requirements for technological innovation to be deployed. The SEL assessment framework was applied in four case studies, concerning CCS development in Norway, the Netherlands, Greece, and Germany. The resulting societal embeddedness levels of CCS, on a scale of 1–4, were SEL 3 in Norway with considerable progress towards level 4, followed by the Netherlands with SEL 2 with several initiatives towards offshore demonstration projects, and then by Greece and Germany with SEL 1. The outcomes of the SEL assessments show which societal requirements have been met in current CCS developments and which ones should be improved for CCS deployment. They also show that monitoring currently is a regulatory requirement as part of permitting procedures, while it may alleviate community concerns on safety, provided that it has certain attributes. The insights from the four national case studies are further used in the DigiMon project to develop the innovative societal embedded DigiMon monitoring system

Understanding Societal Requirements of CCS Projects: Application of the Societal Embeddedness Level Assessment Methodology in Four National Case Studies

The DigiMon project aims to develop and demonstrate an affordable, flexible, societally embedded, and smart digital monitoring early warning system for any subsurface CO2 storage field. The societal embeddedness level (SEL) assessment is a novel methodology which provides insight into the societal requirements for technological innovation to be deployed. The SEL assessment framework was applied in four case studies, concerning CCS development in Norway, the Netherlands, Greece, and Germany. The resulting societal embeddedness levels of CCS, on a scale of 1–4, were SEL 3 in Norway with considerable progress towards level 4, followed by the Netherlands with SEL 2 with several initiatives towards offshore demonstration projects, and then by Greece and Germany with SEL 1. The outcomes of the SEL assessments show which societal requirements have been met in current CCS developments and which ones should be improved for CCS deployment. They also show that monitoring currently is a regulatory requirement as part of permitting procedures, while it may alleviate community concerns on safety, provided that it has certain attributes. The insights from the four national case studies are further used in the DigiMon project to develop the innovative societal embedded DigiMon monitoring system