Background
Photovoltaic Poverty Alleviation Projects (PPAPs) have been implemented in Chinese rural areas since 2014. As a new energy policy, PPAPs have played an important role in alleviating rural poverty. However, the adoption of solar PV faces multiple barriers from the perspective of beneficiaries. Therefore, this study aims to discuss and analyze factors affecting beneficiaries’ satisfaction and their trust in State Grid, promoting the adoption of solar PV.
Methods
Based on the integrated American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) and Unified Theory of Acception and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, this study used the Structural Equation Model (SEM) to reveal how the beneficiaries’ satisfaction enhance their trust in State Grid. The data were obtained from a survey of 928 PPAPs’ beneficiaries by stratified and random sampling in Chinese rural areas.
Results
The results confirm that environmental perception in this study has positive impact on beneficiaries’ satisfaction. In addition, perceived quality also has a positive effect on beneficiaries’ satisfaction and trust in State Grid; however, social influence has a negative impact on beneficiaries’ satisfaction; behavior expectation can directly promote beneficiaries’ satisfaction while indirectly propel their trust in State Grid.
Conclusions
This study constructs an integrated customer satisfaction model from the perspective of beneficiaries and proposes relevant measures to promote the adoption of solar PV that can be applied to poverty reduction in other developing countries worldwide.
Purpose
This study aims to analyze those factors affecting the rural resident’s willingness to adopt solar photovoltaic (PV) which is important for accelerating the popularization of clean energy in China.
Design/methodology/approach
This study contained a sample of 653 households in 8 provinces/regions by stratified, and random sampling in rural China. Descriptive analysis, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis techniques have been used for analytical purposes.
Findings
The empirical results indicate that financial incentive and social interaction have positive effects on rural residents’ adoption willingness, while village leaders’ engagement can indirectly influence their adoption willingness through social interaction and residents’ cognition.
Research limitations/implications
This study mainly considers external and internal factors but ignores the effect of technical factors. In addition, the samples are just selected from the residents who have adopted solar PV.
Practical implications
This study is expected to be useful for the government, regulators, village leaders, village leaders and other institutions.
Originality/value
This study conducts a systematic analysis and clarifies the relationship between factors (external and internal) and rural residents’ adoption willingness. The village leaders’ engagement is first added to the conceptual model as an external factor, which is very essential in rural residents’ adoption in China.
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