Purchase intention of Indian customers: a study on solar PV technology

Abstract

Purpose With the growing acceptance of renewable energy sources in the world, new energy sources are pursued and investigated by customers. In India, residential PV technology is in an early stage of development and very less in demand among households. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify the major variables and its impact on customers purchase intention towards solar PV technology, especially in the context of central India. Design/methodology/approach Based on literature reviews, this study identifies six major independent variables having a relationship with purchase intentions. Using convenience sampling method, 413 customers’ data has been collected by the researcher and was investigated through structural equation modelling, using SmartPLS 2.0 and SPSS-20 software. Findings The study findings suggested that the construct promotional strategies, societal influence, customer awareness and government initiative plays an important role in generating customers purchase intention towards solar PV technology. While the constructs environmental concern and availability & cost having relationship, showed insignificant influence. Research limitations/implications The study outcomes provide some valuable insights to the government and policymakers in designing their policies and strategies to increase customer involvement in solar PV technology. This study suggested that the service providers need to offer more benefits in the form of subsidies and schemes that motivate customers to willingly show their purchase intention. Originality/value The major contribution of this study is the empirical analysis of six independent variables, which affects the customer purchase intentions towards solar PV technology over available conventional energy sources in an emerging Indian market.

A behavioral study on villagers’ adoption intention and carbon neutrality toward rooftop solar photovoltaic systems in India

“…The environmental concerns of villagers were also revealed through the employment of PMT, as perceived severity and perceived vulnerability has a significant positive influence (b = 0.452, p < 0.001) and (b = 0.298, p < 0.001) on their perceived behavior control, respectively. Thus, H6 and H7 were confirmed, and the results are inconsistent with the findings (Atulkar, 2022). Villagers' perception of the negative impact of climate change on humankind strengthened them to engage in pro-environment behavior leading to their positive intention toward installing RSPV systems in the near future.…”

“…Thus, H1 was confirmed, and the results are similar to the findings (Bekti et al , 2022; Kumar and Kaushik, 2022; Karimzadeh and Salehi, 2021; Wolske et al , 2017). In the Indian context, residential solar PV technology is in an initial phase of progression and is very rarer in household demand (Atulkar, 2022). Consequently, the adoptions of technological innovations become more attractive when it accomplishes the consumers’ lifestyle, values and future need (Kapoor and Dwivedi, 2019).…”

“…In the context of developing countries, Gunarathne et al (2020) revealed that the customers' behavioral intentions significantly influence the purchasing and adoption of low-carbon products. Likewise, consumers' purchase intentions toward solar PV systems are significantly influenced by societal aspects, customer awareness and government initiative, whereas environmental concern and cost have an insignificant impact on consumers' intention to purchase solar PV systems (Atulkar, 2022). Kim and Choi (2005) described that when customers believe their Rooftop solar photovoltaic systems in India purchasing behavior will fundamentally contribute to environmental improvement, they will buy low-carbon products.…”

“…technical design and assembly of solar study lamps (Arora et al , 2016) and design and evaluation of solar power plants in Rajasthan (Bishoyi and Sudhakar, 2017). However, minimal effort has been made to study the social and cultural aspects (Padmanathan et al , 2019) and behavioral aspects of the adoption of the solar PV system (Kumar and Kaushik, 2022; Atulkar, 2022; Kesari et al , 2021; Parsad et al , 2020; Pathania et al , 2017). Similarly, studies on the attainment of carbon neutrality through low-carbon behavioral intention are also unexplored (Zhao et al , 2022).…”

Households’ willingness to adopt solar energy for business use in Uganda

“…We also encourage the government, policymakers and solar equipment suppliers; to introduce incentives to reduce the prices of solar systems for business use to make them affordable to poorer families with lower incomes; to allow households to acquire solar systems for business purposes on lease or to pay for them in instalments, and to ensure that the periods for repayment of the solar systems acquired on credit should be revised upwards. This is also supported by Atulkar (2022), who proposed that promotional strategies, societal influence, customer awareness and government initiative are crucial in generating customers' purchase intention toward solar PV technology. Generally, policy interventions that are aimed at boosting the transition to clean energy sources, especially in the rural areas of developing countries like Uganda, should focus on off-grid solar energy solutions, especially for business use, as the income from the business can help finance the solar equipment.…”