Evidence on environmentally conscious consumers’ preferences for energy-use automation in Germany and Spain

Can environmentally conscious consumers become a driving force in the uptake of energy-use automation? To help answer this question, we collect survey data from samples drawn from the general population in Germany and Spain (combined N = 2864). Self-reported rates of energy-use automation adoption reach 30.0% in the German sample and 41.0% in the Spanish sample. Environmental self-identity, environmental norms, and one's tendency toward environmentally friendly consumer behavior influence preferences for energy-use automation in Germany but not in Spain. We discuss the possibility that this difference could be attributed to energy-use automation becoming so normalized in Spain that psychological characteristics cease to play a significant role in adoption decisions. Certain other individual characteristics and structural conditions are associated with automation technology preferences, particularly age, gender, income, education, and dwelling type. •Results from two large-scale surveys are reported.•Approximately 30–40% of respondents utilize energy use automation tools.•Age, gender, income, education, and dwelling type predict automation use.•Environmental self-perceptions, norms and consumer preferences can predict automation use.