LLM-Assisted Behavioural and Scenario Augmentation for Agent-Based Energy Adoption Models

Abstract

Recent advances in large language models (LLMs) create opportunities to enrich simulation-based energy policy analysis, particularly by supporting structured behavioural assumptions and exploratory techno-economic scenarios. However, directly replacing adoption models with LLM reasoning raises concerns regarding interpretability, reproducibility, and behavioural validity. This paper proposes a hybrid framework for LLM-assisted specification design, integrating bounded behavioural rubrics and structured scenario specifications into a calibrated agent-based model (ABM) of solar photovoltaic (PV) adoption by Irish dairy farms. The proposed approach preserves the original techno-economic adoption mechanism while augmenting it with bounded behavioural modulation and scenario-driven uncertainty analysis. Behavioural effects are represented through interpretable conservative, balanced, and optimistic rubrics, while future policy and market conditions are explored through fixed, rule-validated scenario specifications. Experimental results across multiple policy settings, Monte Carlo worlds, and random seeds demonstrate stable and economically plausible behaviour, with adoption outcomes remaining bounded and monotonic across behavioural regimes. The framework achieves up to approximately 13% behavioural adoption increase relative to the corresponding logistic case without producing unstable or unrealistic saturation dynamics. The results demonstrate that LLM-assisted specifications can be integrated into calibrated energy ABMs in a controlled, reproducible, and policy-relevant manner.