Dr. Hazel Pettifor is a senior research officer at the University of East Anglia. As a social scientist she conducts research into the diffusion of novel, low carbon technologies focussing on consumer choice and its antecedents. She has particular interest and specialism in the use and application of large scale secondary social science data.
Hazel Pettifor
Affiliate Member of the Tyndall Centre
Selected Publications
Other
Selected Publications
Pettifor, H., Wilson, C., Bogelein, S., Cassar, E., Kerr, L., & Wilson, M. (2020). Are low-carbon innovations appealing? A typology of functional, symbolic, private and public attributes. Energy Research & Social Science, 64, 101422. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2019.101422
Wilson, C., Pettifor, H., Cassar, E., Kerr, L., & Wilson, M. (2018). The potential contribution of disruptive low-carbon innovations to 1.5 °C climate mitigation. Energy Efficiency. doi:10.1007/s12053-018-9679-8
Wilson, C., Pettifor, H., & Chryssochoidis, G. (2018). Quantitative modelling of why and how homeowners decide to renovate energy efficiently. Applied Energy, 212, 1333-1344. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.11.099
Edelenbosch, O. Y., McCollum, D. L., Pettifor, H., Wilson, C., & van Vuuren, D. P. (2018). Interactions between social learning and technological learning in electric vehicle futures. Environmental Research Letters, 13(12), 124004. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/aae948
Pettifor, H., Wilson, C., McCollum, D., & Edelenbosch, O. Y. (2017). Modelling social influence and cultural variation in global low-carbon vehicle transitions. Global Environmental Change, 47, 76-87. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2017.09.008
Pettifor, H., Wilson, C., Axsen, J., Abrahamse, W., & Anable, J. (2017). Social influence in the global diffusion of alternative fuel vehicles – A meta-analysis. Journal of Transport Geography, 62, 247-261. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtrangeo.2017.06.009
McCollum, D. L., Wilson, C., Pettifor, H., Ramea, K., Krey, V., Riahi, K., . . . Fujisawa, S. (2017). Improving the behavioral realism of global integrated assessment models: An application to consumers’ vehicle choices. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 55, 322-342. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2016.04.003
Pettifor, H., Wilson, C., & Chryssochoidis, G. (2015). The appeal of the green deal: Empirical evidence for the influence of energy efficiency policy on renovating homeowners. Energy Policy, 79(0), 161-176. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2015.01.015
Other
2018
Wilson, C; Pettifor, H; Chryssochoidis, G
Quantitative modelling of why and how homeowners decide to renovate energy efficiently Journal Article
In: Applied Energy, vol. 212, pp. 1333-1344, 2018.
@article{2068,
title = {Quantitative modelling of why and how homeowners decide to renovate energy efficiently},
author = {C Wilson and H Pettifor and G Chryssochoidis},
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doi = {10.1016/j.apenergy.2017.11.099},
year = {2018},
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journal = {Applied Energy},
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Wilson, C; Pettifor, H; Cassar, E; Kerr, L; Wilson, M
Potential contribution of disruptive low-carbon innovations to 1.5textordmasculineC climate mitigation Journal Article
In: Energy Efficiency, 2018.
@article{2087,
title = {Potential contribution of disruptive low-carbon innovations to 1.5textordmasculineC climate mitigation},
author = {C Wilson and H Pettifor and E Cassar and L Kerr and M Wilson},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s12053-018-9679-8},
doi = {10.1007/s12053-018-9679-8},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
journal = {Energy Efficiency},
abstract = {<p>This paper investigates the potential for consumer-facing innovations to contribute emission reductions for limiting warming to 1.5 textdegreeC. First, we show that global integrated assessment models which characterise transformation pathways consistent with 1.5 textdegreeC mitigation are limited in their ability to analyse the emergence of novelty in energy end-use. Second, we introduce concepts of disruptive innovation which can be usefully applied to the challenge of 1.5 textdegreeC mitigation. Disruptive \emph{low-carbon} innovations offer novel value propositions to consumers and can transform markets for energy-related goods and services while reducing emissions. Third, we identify 99 potentially disruptive low-carbon innovations relating to mobility, food, buildings and cities, and energy supply and distribution. Examples at the fringes of current markets include car clubs, mobility-as-a-service, prefabricated high-efficiency retrofits, internet of things, and urban farming. Each of these offers an alternative to mainstream consumer practices. Fourth, we assess the potential emission reductions from subsets of these disruptive low-carbon innovations using two methods: a survey eliciting expertstextquoteright perceptions and a quantitative scaling-up of evidence from early-adopting niches to matched segments of the UK population. We conclude that disruptive low-carbon innovations which appeal to consumers can help efforts to limit warming to 1.5 textdegreeC.</p>},
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<p>This paper investigates the potential for consumer-facing innovations to contribute emission reductions for limiting warming to 1.5 textdegreeC. First, we show that global integrated assessment models which characterise transformation pathways consistent with 1.5 textdegreeC mitigation are limited in their ability to analyse the emergence of novelty in energy end-use. Second, we introduce concepts of disruptive innovation which can be usefully applied to the challenge of 1.5 textdegreeC mitigation. Disruptive low-carbon innovations offer novel value propositions to consumers and can transform markets for energy-related goods and services while reducing emissions. Third, we identify 99 potentially disruptive low-carbon innovations relating to mobility, food, buildings and cities, and energy supply and distribution. Examples at the fringes of current markets include car clubs, mobility-as-a-service, prefabricated high-efficiency retrofits, internet of things, and urban farming. Each of these offers an alternative to mainstream consumer practices. Fourth, we assess the potential emission reductions from subsets of these disruptive low-carbon innovations using two methods: a survey eliciting expertstextquoteright perceptions and a quantitative scaling-up of evidence from early-adopting niches to matched segments of the UK population. We conclude that disruptive low-carbon innovations which appeal to consumers can help efforts to limit warming to 1.5 textdegreeC.</p>
Edelenbosch, O Y; McCollum, D L; Pettifor, H; Wilson, C; van Vuuren, D P
Interactions between social learning and technological learning in electric vehicle futures Journal Article
In: Environmental Research Letters, vol. 13, 2018.
@article{2125,
title = {Interactions between social learning and technological learning in electric vehicle futures},
author = {O Y Edelenbosch and D L McCollum and H Pettifor and C Wilson and D P van Vuuren},
doi = {10.1088/1748-9326/aae948},
year = {2018},
date = {2018-01-01},
journal = {Environmental Research Letters},
volume = {13},
abstract = {<p>The transition to electric vehicles is an important strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars. Modelling future pathways helps identify critical drivers and uncertainties. Global integrated assessment models (IAMs) have been used extensively to analyse climate mitigation policy. IAMs emphasise technological change processes but are largely silent on important social and behavioural dimensions to future technological transitions. Here, we develop a novel conceptual framing and empirical evidence base on social learning processes relevant for vehicle adoption. We then implement this formulation of social learning in IMAGE, a widely-used global IAM. We apply this new modelling approach to analyse how technological learning and social learning interact to influence electric vehicle transition dynamics. We find that technological learning and social learning processes can be mutually reinforcing. Increased electric vehicle market shares can induce technological learning which reduces technology costs while social learning stimulates diffusion from early adopters to more risk-averse adopter groups. In this way, both types of learning process interact to stimulate each other. In the absence of social learning, however, the perceived risks of electric vehicle adoption among later-adopting groups remains prohibitively high. In the absence of technological learning, electric vehicles remain relatively expensive and therefore is only an attractive choice for early adopters. This first-of-its-kind model formulation of both social and technological learning is a significant contribution to improving the behavioural realism of global IAMs. Applying this new modelling approach emphasises the importance of market heterogeneity, real-world consumer decision-making, and social dynamics as well as technology parameters, to understand climate mitigation potentials. textcopyright 2018 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.</p>},
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pubstate = {published},
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<p>The transition to electric vehicles is an important strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from passenger cars. Modelling future pathways helps identify critical drivers and uncertainties. Global integrated assessment models (IAMs) have been used extensively to analyse climate mitigation policy. IAMs emphasise technological change processes but are largely silent on important social and behavioural dimensions to future technological transitions. Here, we develop a novel conceptual framing and empirical evidence base on social learning processes relevant for vehicle adoption. We then implement this formulation of social learning in IMAGE, a widely-used global IAM. We apply this new modelling approach to analyse how technological learning and social learning interact to influence electric vehicle transition dynamics. We find that technological learning and social learning processes can be mutually reinforcing. Increased electric vehicle market shares can induce technological learning which reduces technology costs while social learning stimulates diffusion from early adopters to more risk-averse adopter groups. In this way, both types of learning process interact to stimulate each other. In the absence of social learning, however, the perceived risks of electric vehicle adoption among later-adopting groups remains prohibitively high. In the absence of technological learning, electric vehicles remain relatively expensive and therefore is only an attractive choice for early adopters. This first-of-its-kind model formulation of both social and technological learning is a significant contribution to improving the behavioural realism of global IAMs. Applying this new modelling approach emphasises the importance of market heterogeneity, real-world consumer decision-making, and social dynamics as well as technology parameters, to understand climate mitigation potentials. textcopyright 2018 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd.</p>
2015
Pettifor, H; Wilson, C; Chryssochoidis, G
The appeal of the green deal: Empirical evidence for the influence of energy efficiency policy on renovating homeowners Journal Article
In: Energy Policy, pp. 161-176, 2015.
@article{1154,
title = {The appeal of the green deal: Empirical evidence for the influence of energy efficiency policy on renovating homeowners},
author = {H Pettifor and C Wilson and G Chryssochoidis},
url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421515000166},
doi = {10.1016/j.enpol.2015.01.015},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-01-01},
journal = {Energy Policy},
pages = {161-176},
chapter = {161},
abstract = {<p>The Green Deal is a major new energy policy designed to support the diffusion of energy efficiency measures in UK homes. This paper provides one of the first empirical examinations of the Green Deal's success in influencing homeownerstextquoteright renovation decisions. Using a repeated measures design in which households were questioned before and after the Green Deal's launch in January 2013, we assess the policy's success in raising awareness of energy efficiency. In particular, we test the effectiveness of the Green Deal's positioning to overcome barriers to renovation among homeowners already interested in or considering energy efficiency measures. Using the innovation decision process (Rogers, 2003) as a conceptual framing of the renovation decision process, we examine whether new information on energy efficiency provided by the Green Deal strengthened intentions and its antecedents. We find that (1) energy efficiency is of potential appeal to all renovators regardless of their attitudes about energy efficiency, (2) energy efficiency opportunities need to be identified in the early stages of renovation when homeowners are thinking about ways to improve their home, and (3) homeownerstextquoteright intentions towards energy efficiency are weakened by uncertainty about financial benefits, helping to explain the relatively slow uptake of the Green Deal to-date.</p>},
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pubstate = {published},
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<p>The Green Deal is a major new energy policy designed to support the diffusion of energy efficiency measures in UK homes. This paper provides one of the first empirical examinations of the Green Deal’s success in influencing homeownerstextquoteright renovation decisions. Using a repeated measures design in which households were questioned before and after the Green Deal’s launch in January 2013, we assess the policy’s success in raising awareness of energy efficiency. In particular, we test the effectiveness of the Green Deal’s positioning to overcome barriers to renovation among homeowners already interested in or considering energy efficiency measures. Using the innovation decision process (Rogers, 2003) as a conceptual framing of the renovation decision process, we examine whether new information on energy efficiency provided by the Green Deal strengthened intentions and its antecedents. We find that (1) energy efficiency is of potential appeal to all renovators regardless of their attitudes about energy efficiency, (2) energy efficiency opportunities need to be identified in the early stages of renovation when homeowners are thinking about ways to improve their home, and (3) homeownerstextquoteright intentions towards energy efficiency are weakened by uncertainty about financial benefits, helping to explain the relatively slow uptake of the Green Deal to-date.</p>
2013
Wilson, C; Chryssochoidis, G; Pettifor, H
Understanding Homeowners’ Renovation Decisions:: Findings of the VERD Project Technical Report
UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC) 2013.
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title = {Understanding Homeowners' Renovation Decisions:: Findings of the VERD Project},
author = {C Wilson and G Chryssochoidis and H Pettifor},
year = {2013},
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Research Areas
Email: hazel.pettifor@ouce.ox.ac.uk
Phone: +44 (0) 1603 592547
Postal Address:
Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, ZICER 1.15
University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK