Driving factors of residential demand response for the integration of variable renewable power

The large-scale integration of renewable power poses great challenges to grid stability. Among flexible resources, demand response (DR) stands out for its advantages in cost and efficiency. To identify key factors influencing DR, this study adopted the modified theory of planned behavior (TPB) to establish the conceptual model. Social norms were included as a front-end variable, and institutional factors and electricity consumption habits served as moderating variables. The model was subsequently tested and modified using the structural equation modelling (SEM). Results indicated that social norms can exert a substantial indirect effect on DR behavior. However, due to the deficiency of such norms, the formation of the positive attitude towards DR was hindered, resulting in a low standard coefficient of 0.16. Moreover, the influence of subjective norm on response intention was rejected due to limited perceived external pressure. Perceived behavior control exhibited the most significant direct influence on response intention (0.76). Additionally, the positive effects of situational factors and personal habits on the conversion from response intention to behavior were supported. Based on these findings, several policy suggestions including enhancing publicity and incentive policies were proposed. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2024.