Determinants of energy tracking application use at the city level: Evidence from France

Abstract

This paper investigates the determinants of smart energy tracking app usage by citizens residing in French cities. Our framework is inspired by the extant strands of literature on smart cities and smart home technology adoption, but also contributing to them as smart energy applications reveal specificities that need to be incorporated; the latter include, for instance, the distinction between adoption and frequency of use, or the consideration of additional determinants such as privacy or environmental concerns. For our study, we build an original survey and rely upon citizen-level data, testing a Zero-Inflated Ordered Probit (ZIOP) model which allows to differentiate between adoption of the smart energy app and its frequency of utilisation. Our empirical findings reveal how the drivers related to smart city characteristics mainly affect the decision of adoption of energy tracking apps. Conversely, the more individual characteristics related to the perceived benefits of using energy tracking apps, dwelling type, and privacy concerns, primarily affect the frequency of utilisation. Our results bear policy implications on the issue of privacy, premising additional research on energy challenges in the utilization of energy apps in smart versus non-smart environments.

The Global Whitewashing of Smart Cities: Citizens’ Perspectives

“…There is, perhaps, one notable exception to this observation: i.e., research on the issue of privacy and security. These issues have been shown by a significant number of studies to have an impact on citizens' acceptance of the smart city concept [34,42,[47][48][49]. Tang et al [21], for example, found that many individuals have concerns about placing personal information on a government-run app [21], while Cabalquinto and Hutchins [50] showed that there is a high level of anxiety concerning the security of personal data on public Wi-Fi systems [50].…”

A Review of Internet of Things-Based Visualisation Platforms for Tracking Household Carbon Footprints

“…In a 2020 study conducted in Nice and Bordeaux in France [15], researchers investigated the factors influencing smart energy-tracking application usage. The study focused on app adoption and frequent use, considering determinants such as privacy concerns and environmental awareness [15]. Smart city characteristics and individual factors impact energy-tracking app adoption and usage.…”

“…The study highlights the need for more research on energy challenges and the implications of using such apps. This can help policymakers and researchers promote sustainable energy practices [15]. By switching to renewable energy sources, for instance, biomass, solar, and wind, people can lessen their CO 2 emissions.…”

Smart home technology: Challenges and opportunities for collaborative governance and policy research

“…Policy problems related to patient privacy and data security are perhaps obvious, but governments also need to address physical infrastructure, building codes, and more. Research to date on the intersection of policy, governance, and SHT is limited (Shafi & Mallinson, 2021), with policy‐oriented research focusing primarily on energy efficiency and system design (Attour et al, 2020; Lin et al, 2020; Ringel et al, 2019; Saxena et al, 2020; Wilson et al, 2017). However, SHT raises a broad range of significant policy concerns.…”