Minority Participation in New Energy Technologies: A Case Example of Electric Heat Pumps

摘要

Primarily because of technological improvements and sharp increases in energy prices after the energy crises of the 1970s, the sale of residential electric heat pumps rose ninefold from 1970 to 1983. However, growth has been uneven with respect to black, Hispanic, and white households, even after one controls for income and geography. This paper analyzes the growth in heat pump sales; estimates heat pump market share by key segments; and compares patterns of heat pump ownership by black, Hispanic, and white households. A discrete choice model was used to project the demand for heat pumps by black, Hispanic, and white households for new single-family and multifamily homes, which account for a major share of heat pump shipments to the residential sector. The study is based on several data sources, including the 1980 Census, the 1980 Annual Housing Survey, and the 1980 to 1981 Residential Energy Consumption Survey. Given the availability of consumer survey data, this model can easily be adapted to analyze the participation of different ethnic households in the growth of other new energy technologies. (ERA citation 12:037024)