# A Heuristic Approach to the Decision-Making Process of Energy Prosumers in a Circular Economy
## 2 Background
However, in connected installations, the subjective perception of risk has an interesting role, and the feeling of insecurity can be reduced if energy storage systems are allowed. Due to difficulties faced in their proper estimation and allocation before installation, environmental benefits can be considered halfway between objective and subjective. In summary, the encompassing concept of PV self-consumption adoption is energy security, as set out by the International Energy Agency (IEA), applied to particular spheres [39]. This is not new, as experiences in developing countries show a similar motivation, while it is to be expected that the criteria of energy availability, affordability, and environmental sustainability have different effects on the result. In addition, according to the comprehensive study of [PERSON] (2018) in India, \"consumer confusion over procedures and delays in approvals due to institutional inconsistencies and lack of coordination\" restrains these installations [40]. From an analysis of the literature, we consider it necessary to study the determinants of the decision-making process experimented by prosumers using a heuristic approach, since previous studies offered a fragmented analysis of this line of inquiry. As one of the contributions raised, the role of prosumers in a CE scheme was included in this study because it has been scarcely analyzed to date. In addition, we recognize two gaps in the literature. First, there is a general need of detailed analysis of the motivations that move consumers to become prosumers. Second, the majority of previous studies did not offer a specific analysis of determinants of investments in small-scale PV self-consumption \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline \hline  & **SCOPE** & **Reported Criteria for PV Adoption** \\ \hline [PERSON], [PERSON], and [PERSON] (2014) [20] & United Kingdom & \begin{tabular}{c} Saving or making money \\ Increasing energy autonomy \\ Protection against a future increase in energy price \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline [PERSON] (2019) [31] & France & Electricity autonomy \\ \hline [PERSON] et al. (2018) [32] & Germany & \begin{tabular}{c} Economic benefits \\ Energy autonomy \\ Environmental awareness \\ Affinity with technology \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline [PERSON] et al. (2019) [33] & Belgium & Environmental and financial motivations \\ \hline [PERSON], [PERSON], and [PERSON] (2020) [34] & Denmark & Financial arguments that underpin self-sufficiency and \\  & & emission reductions \\ \hline [PERSON], [PERSON], and [PERSON] (2015) [35] & Germany & As long as costs were low \\  & & Social status \\ \hline [PERSON], [PERSON], and [PERSON] (2011) [36] & Denmark & \
\begin{tabular}{c} Other investor motivations \\ Economic benefits \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline [PERSON] (2018) [37] & Sweden & Environmental and financial motivations \\ \hline [PERSON] and [PERSON] (2015) [38] & The Netherlands &
\begin{tabular}{c} Electricity cost-savings and costs of PV system \\ Self-sufficiency and contribution to a better natural environment \\ \end{tabular} \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Recent studies related to European self-consumption adopters. PV: Photovoltaic. facilities and their influence on the decision-making process of prosumers for the deployment of renewables in a circular model. On the basis of the previous considerations, the following research questions arise:  
* What are the most widespread self-consumption-related reasons for an energy consumer deciding to become a prosumer? * What are the determinants of the decision-making process and how do they influence the prosumers' investments? In summary, the aim of this paper is to present a simple and transparent procedure to identify how energy consumers become prosumers, as well as a method of classification and measurement of factors influencing the decision-making process.