Can solar parties make photovoltaic socially contagious?

The use of photovoltaic (PV) systems on residential buildings is a key element in the societal transition to renewable energies. However, despite economic and ecological benefits, many homeowners struggle to adopt PV due to technical complexity, administrative burden, and cognitive biases such as inertia. In light of previous studies suggesting that peer interactions may substantially help the diffusion of PV, and drawing on social contagion theory, the present project takes a qualitative action research approach to study such peer effects in solar parties. Solar parties are community-oriented information events hosted by local volunteers who already adopted PV, usually supported by governments, targeting neighbors who have not yet adopted PV.