Paper in the journal MDPI Energies by Thanasis G. Papaioannou. Published: 28 August 2026.

Abstract:

The increasing integration of renewable energy sources into electricity grids has created a critical need for residential energy flexibility, i.e., the ability of consumers to adjust their electricity consumption patterns in response to grid conditions. Understanding the psychological and behavioral factors that influence consumers’ willingness to provide such flexibility is essential for designing effective demand response programs. Drawing on the motivation–opportunity–ability (MOA) framework, value–belief–norm (VBN) theory, and insights from behavioral economics, this study examined the individual-level factors related to residential consumers’ intentions to offer energy flexibility. Survey data were collected from 1278 respondents across Greece, Slovenia, and Finland as part of the iFLEX project. Using path analysis, we found that environmental personal norms significantly predicted flexibility behavioral intentions, while environmental worldviews predicted personal norms. Moreover, personal norms mediated the relationship between environmental worldviews and behavioral intentions. The results also supported an updated, hierarchical MOA framework, demonstrating that energy flexibility capacity acts as an upstream enabler for digital tech expertise, while automated flexibility/flexibility advice and flexibility visualization operate as highly co-dependent opportunity factors. Ultimately, the integrated model demonstrated strong explanatory power, accounting for 37% of the variance in flexibility behavioral intentions and remained highly robust across diverse socio-demographic profiles. Normative social influence, external flexibility control, and external locus of control emerged as the primary direct predictors of flexibility intentions, supported by environmental personal norms, environmental worldviews, flexibility visualization, and digital tech expertise. Drawing on Kahneman’s dual-process theory, we interpret these findings in terms of the cognitive effort required for flexibility decisions. These findings extend VBN and MOA theories in the context of residential energy flexibility and offer practical insights for designing effective demand response programs.