Adoption Drivers and Inhibitors for Solar Home Lighting System in Punjab: A Perspective of A Green Social Worker

Abstract

The need for enabling an efficient and timely energy transition is growing in emerging economies to achieve sustainable growth and avoid catastrophic climate change. The traditional approach to energy generation and utilization is unsustainable and inequitable. With the adverse effects of climate change and increased energy needs, solar energy – a key pillar of renewable generation – features the capacity to be used at both residential and industrial levels. Research scholars, policymakers, and practitioners contend that the Solar Home Lighting System (SHS) has a vital role to play in meeting the UN’s Sustainable Goal 7 (SDG7), i.e., establishing affordable, reliable, and modern energy services for all by 2030. This empirical study, using urban households of Punjab– the northern state of India, investigates their attitude and energy behavior towards the adoption of the SHS through the lens of a green social worker and provides insights into the interplay that exists between the environment, the surrounding community, and sustainable development. The research traversed the energy-efficient behaviours among domestic urban households to reduce their carbon footprint. With this approach, the objectives of the current study have four-folds. The very first and foremost objective was to explore the question of what inspires and what hinders households to adopt solar home lighting system (SHS) in Punjab, one of the wealthiest states of India with copious solar potential. To meet this objective, the study leverages the framework of the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) model which was tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) in Smart PLS4. Primary data was collected using a survey-based questionnaire from SHS adopters (N = 250) and non-adopters (N = 250) across ten districts of Punjab. Adoption drivers emerged as a multidimensional construct significantly predicted by Performance Expectancy, Effort Expectancy, Hedonic Motivation, Financial Motivation, Environmental Concern, Energy Motivation, Social Influence, and Knowledge and Awareness. The main variables of Adoption inhibitors that emerged from the study are Technical Barriers, Policy and Regulatory Barriers, Socio-economic Barriers, and Knowledge and Institutional Barriers. Results verified that the UTAUT2 constructs are the drivers of SHS adoption and significantly impact Behavioral Intention, however, effort expectancy (β = 0.836) and financial motivation (β = 0.833), accounted for the maximum significant variance, suggesting that reduced electricity bills and the easy switching effort to any new technology are major motive for households to adopt SHS. Surprisingly, environmental concern was least loaded on adoption drivers which established that environmental values were not enough nor were the first mover motivation to trigger SHS adoption. In contrast to adoption drivers, adoption inhibitors negatively affect Behavioural Intention, nevertheless, this impact was statistically insignificant. The research study’s novelty lies in using age and gender as moderators and studying their impact on the relationship between Adoption drivers and Behavioural intention. The study also empirically validates monthly family income and education level of household heads as the control variables for Behavioural Intention to adopt SHS. The study uses a mixed-methods research design to meet the second objective of examining the existing policies and challenges concerning the dissemination of the Solar Home Lighting System. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with stakeholders from all profiles, including adopters, non-adopters, vendors, and PSPCL officers. The findings offered a nuanced understanding of the distinction in the attitude of adopters and non-adopters, which is different in its conceptualization of the adoption of solar energy within the domestic market. Apparently, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical study done by a social worker to evaluate the awareness about the ecosocial approach adopted by social workers and their efforts in sensitizing communities for the adoption of residential solar energy. In this way, third objective was to explore the frequency of ecosocial work practices among Indian social workers. To attain this objective, the data was collected via an electronic survey sent to 118 social workers, practicing in different parts of India. The study also explores how very few (21.2%) of the professional social workers in India had heard about green social work; thus, more engagement of social workers is urgently required in climate mitigation. Social work advocacy in policy-making at the local (working with NGOs and civil society organizations) and state level (as young advocates and program managers) can bring a noticeable behavioural change amongst urban communities to adopt a green lifestyle. This study has proposed a model that exhibits adoption strategies, adoption drivers and retrofitting interventions to achieve sustainable adoption of SHS by urban households. The model recommends policy measures to address the identified barriers, such as lowcost SHS loans, timely subsidies, improved design of SHS for enhanced reliability, and responsible installation by vendors, which go a long way in SHS penetration in the state. The results of current study could serve as a roadmap for policymakers while framing government policies to improve the penetration of this new and promising green technology for the coherent domestic energy transition of non-adopters to adopters.