Understanding Stakeholders’ Views and the Influence of the Socio-Cultural Dimension on the Adoption of Solar Energy Technology in Lebanon

Houda Elmustapha, Thomas Hoppe and Hans Bressers
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Houda Elmustapha: Department of Governance and Technology for Sustainability (CSTM), Institute for Innovation and Governance Studies (IGS), Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences (BMS), University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
Thomas Hoppe: Organization and Governance (OG), Department of Multi-Actor Systems (MAS), Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management (TPM), Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands
Hans Bressers: Department of Governance and Technology for Sustainability (CSTM), Institute for Innovation and Governance Studies (IGS), Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences (BMS), University of Twente, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 2, 1-17

Abstract: In light of climate change and global commitments, a great amount of programs and policies have been implemented by governments targeting the diffusion of renewable energy technologies. Successful diffusion relies on the understanding, persuasion and acceptance by consumers and other stakeholders. This article investigates the views, roles and influence of stakeholders on the adoption of solar energy technology in Lebanon. The main research questions are: What are the stakeholders’ views, roles and influence on the diffusion process of solar energy technologies? And are specific socio-cultural factors therein that influenced adoption? The influence of different stakeholders (end users, public representatives, banking sector, suppliers, consultants and NGOs) was assessed via qualitative data analysis, in particular semi-structured interviews. Our research perspective combines grounded and critical theoretical approaches with a case study research design allowing for a semi-inductive process to elaborate and complement new insights to the current body of literature on adoption of clean technology innovation, with a particular focus on the socio-cultural dimension. The results show that contextual factors, specifically related to the social, cultural, geographic and market dimensions, played a crucial role in shaping market development, especially in relation to the uptake of solar energy technology by different consumer groups. Based on the results of this study we argue that more scholarly attention should be awarded to the influence of the socio-cultural dimension and stakeholders’ perspectives on adoption of renewable energy technology.

Keywords: renewable energy; solar energy; diffusion; innovation-adoption; stakeholders; Lebanon (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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