Economical, Innovative, or Ecological? What Are the Green Energy Users?

Abstract

Green energy sources play a vital role in mitigating environmental impacts and reducing dependence on energy imports. Growing concerns over climate change, coupled with public policies promoting the expansion of green energy, have notably shaped consumer attitudes and behaviours. This study aims to address the knowledge gap by examining the impact of a sustainable lifestyle, consumer innovativeness, and economic attitudes on the intention to adopt green energy sources. The research was conducted on 580 Polish consumers using an online survey. The results of structural equation modelling revealed that pro-environmental self-identity (PESI) and consumer innovativeness (CI) have a positive impact on consumer behaviour toward green energy sources. Pro-environmental self-identity (PESI) is the strongest determinant of consumer behaviour toward green energy sources. Our research on Polish consumer behaviour could serve as a frame of reference for other countries, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe. From a theoretical standpoint, this research enhances the understanding of pro-environmental self-identity (PESI) and its link to consumer innovativeness while also offering insights into consumer behaviour related to green energy sources, based on the experiences from the Polish market. The conclusions derived from this study may provide valuable guidance for managers and policymakers in formulating strategies to promote the adoption of green energy sources across Europe effectively.

Keywords

• green energy
• consumers’ behaviour
• pro-environmental self-identity (PESI)
• consumer innovativeness
• economic attitude