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RESIDENTIAL PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY SYSTEMS IN CALIFORNIA: THE EFFECT ON HOME SALES PRICES
Author(s) -
HOEN BEN,
WISER RYAN,
THAYER MARK,
CAPPERS PETER
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
contemporary economic policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.454
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1465-7287
pISSN - 1074-3529
DOI - 10.1111/j.1465-7287.2012.00340.x
Subject(s) - photovoltaic system , robustness (evolution) , business , economics , agricultural economics , investment (military) , finance , engineering , biochemistry , chemistry , electrical engineering , gene , politics , political science , law
Relatively little research exists estimating the marginal impacts of photovoltaic (PV) energy systems on home sale prices. Using a large data set of California homes that sold from 2000 through mid‐2009, we find strong evidence, despite a variety of robustness checks, that existing homes with PV systems sold for a premium over comparable homes without PV systems, implying a near full return on investment. Premiums for new homes are found to be considerably lower than those for existing homes, implying, potentially, a trade‐off between price and sales velocity. The results have significant implications for homeowners, builders, appraisers, lenders, and policymakers . ( JEL R31, D12, C33)