Multi-layer diffusion model of photovoltaic installations

Abstract: Nowadays, harmful effects of climate change are becoming increasingly apparent. A vital issue that must be addressed is the generation of energy from non-renewable and often polluting sources. For this reason, the development of renewable energy sources is of great importance. Unfortunately, too rapid spread of renewables can disrupt stability of the power system and lead to energy blackouts. One should not simply support it, without ensuring sustainability and understanding of the diffusion process. In this research, we propose a new agent-based model of diffusion of photovoltaic panels. It is an extension of the q-voter model that utilizes a multi-layer network structure. The novelty is that both opinion dynamics and diffusion of innovation are studied simultaneously on a multidimensional structure. The model is analyzed using Monte Carlo simulations and the mean-field approximation. The impact of parameters and specifications on the basic properties of the model is discussed. Firstly, we show that for a certain range of parameters, innovation always succeeds, regardless of the initial conditions. Secondly, that the mean-field approximation gives qualitatively the same results as computer simulations, even though it does not utilize knowledge of the network structure.