Do local energy agencies accelerate the solar expansion in Germany?

This paper examines the impact of a specific district-level measure, local energy agencies (LEAs), on solar PV adoption in Germany. These agencies, founded since 1992, serve as contact points for citizens, municipalities, and companies, focusing on consultancy and networking for renewable energy and energy efficiency. Using data from the Core Energy Market Data Registry and an originally compiled dataset on LEAs, the analysis utilizes augmented synthetic controls to account for staggered agency adoption. A significant effect of the foundation of LEAs on new solar adopters, measured as the number of actors installing solar PV for the first time per 10,000 inhabitants, cannot be established. The result holds for different subgroups of new adopters, model specifications, and dependent variables. Effect sizes are generally small and standard errors are large. A positive or negative significant effect cannot be established for LEAs in general or for LEAs with certain characteristics.