Value-driven energy prosumerism: Toward an integrated understanding of peer-to-peer energy trading adoption

The growth of residential renewable energy has created new opportunities for decentralized energy systems, including peer-to-peer energy trading (P2P-ET). While the technical potential of P2P-ET is increasingly recognized, its broader adoption remains contingent on a complex set of behavioral drivers. This study proposes a two-tier behavioral framework to explain how individual value orientations (biospheric, egoistic, hedonic and altruistic) and experience with similar technologies influence adoption intentions through perceptual pathways. The proposed model was empirically tested using survey data from 456 participants. Multiple mediation analysis was conducted to examine both direct and mediated relationships among key constructs. Contrary to popular belief that the profit-making feature of P2P-ET is its biggest selling point, the results of our study show that participation intention was mainly predicted by hedonic motivation instead of utilitarian motivation. Warm glow effect, anticipated fun and sense of novelty contributed to stronger hedonic motivation. We observed positive total effect of biospheric and egoistic orientation, supporting the dual-appeal of P2P-ET model: environmental preservation and profit-making. Participants with similar experience showed greater willingness to participate in P2P-ET and perceived availability of facilitating conditions and the strength of social support more favourably. By integrating abstract value orientations and context-specific measures adapted from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2), this research offers a systematic approach to disentangling the psychological and contextual pathways that shape adoption behaviour in P2P-ET, pathing the way to design more targeted outreach strategies to promote energy prosumerism. • Proposed a two-tier behavioural framework of P2P energy trading to explain the mechanism linking value orientations, similar experience, perceptions and intention to participate. • Biospheric and egoistic value orientations directly and indirectly influence behaviour intention. • Prior exposure to similar technologies directly and indirectly increases willingness to participate. • Instead of utilitarian motivation, hedonic motivation is the prime driver of behaviour intention. • Perception of costs required to gain benefits from P2P energy trading appears to be affected by contextual factors instead of differences in individual value orientations