Empowering sustainability: understanding the users’ perceptions on the adoption of renewable energy technologies (RETs) through a systematic literature review

Abstract

Purpose

Although the research promotes deploying renewable energy technologies (RETs) due to their inherently eco-friendly characteristics, consumer acceptance is relatively low, making RETs acceptance a subject of interest for most recent research. This systematic study aims to integrate and synthesize earlier research on the acceptance of RETs, assessing state-of-the-art and painting a complete picture of the consumer's adoption intention.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis on the topic of RETs acceptance have been conducted to understand the spectrum of theoretical and methodological methods used in the past, as well as how the users perceive and react to the adoption of it.

Findings

The study of selected 70 research articles showed the role of technology, consumer acceptance and decision-making process as factors influencing the acceptance of RET. The findings suggest that it is crucial to comprehend these factors since users' opinions significantly affect the acceptance and use of renewable technologies.

Practical implications

This paper reviews the research on adopting RETs and identifies factors influencing it. The study further endorses that technology like digitalization can promote the acceptability of renewable energy sources and, inadvertently, assist managers and policymakers in managing business models and making better decisions for sustainable investments.

Originality/value

Research on accepting RETs by integrating the social and technological components is still in its infancy. This study is a novel attempt to identify broad patterns of RETs that can improve communication between decision-makers, technologists and users and aid in the switch to a sustainable energy transition.