Factors Influencing Household Adoption of Solar Home System in Baso Liben District, East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2020-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Solar energy, which is abundant and accessible with low price and minimum
ecological and environmental hazard, is a significant one to bring a desired human’s
life improvement. Because of limitation of using this opportunity, the majority of f the
rural population of Ethiopia is still suffered with lack of electricity access. This study
tried to investigate the major factors influencing households’ adoption of solar home
system in Baso Liben district east Gojjam zone, Ethiopia. Descriptive cross sectional
study design was employed with both qualitative and quantitative data collection
approaches. 371 sample household respondents were selected randomly, of which 228
and 143 households were from adopted and non adopted sides respectively from four
purposively selected kebeles of the district based on infrastructural accessibility, high
adoption intensity, time and other physical factors. The quantitative data were
collected through structured questionnaires whereas the qualitative data were
collected through interview with key informants in addition to questionnaires. Binary
logistic regression model was employed to estimate the effects of determinants on
households’ decision to adopt solar. The result indicated that income found to have a
positive effect on solar home system adoption at a statistically significant level
(P<0.1). Likewise participation in off farm income activities, house type, educational
status, training access, media access, and prior knowledge/awareness positively
associated with adoption of solar home system at statistically significant level (P<0.1,
P<0.01, P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.01, and P<0.05 respectively). On the other hand,
gender and access to electricity negatively associated with solar home system
technology adoption at statistically significant level (P<0.05). Therefore the result of
this study suggests that providing awareness creation training about utilization of
solar technology; improving economical status of households through creating
different off farm income opportunities and improving media availability should be
taken in to account either by government or other development programs in order to
increase the rural households’ propensity to adopt clean and renewable energy.
Similarly, strategies targeted to improve educational status of rural households have
multidimensional benefits including intensifying their awareness level regarding
benefits of using clean and modern energy technologies.
Description
Keywords
Adoption, Energy, Solar energy technology, Solar home system, Renewable energy, Environment, Household, Rural, Determinants