Factors influencing rural household attitude towards solar home system in Ethiopia

Abstract

Solar home system is a promising energy option for households living in off-grid areas of developing countries. However, household inclination towards consuming such clean energy is hampered by numerous factors. This study is motivated by the absence of more in-depth empirical studies on factors determining households' attitudes towards using SHS. By filling this gap, this study intends to generate informed policy recommendations. For this purpose, we used data generated from 228 adopted and 143 non-adopted households living in Basoliben district, northern Ethiopia by applying mixed data collection approaches. The ordered logistic regression model was employed to estimate factors influencing households' attitudes towards SHS. The findings reveal that being male household heads is 2.6% and 3.2% more likely to have unfavorable and neutral attitudes respectively and 5.9% less likely favorable attitudes towards SHS. As income increase by one Birr, households are about 8.2% more likely to have a favorable attitude towards SHS, and 3.8% and 4.4% less likely to have unfavorable and neutral attitudes towards SHS respectively. Households having a cell phone are 3% and 5.5% less likely to be in the unfavorable and neutral attitude category respectively and 8.5% more likely to be in the favorable attitude category. Likewise being accessed with media is 4.2% and 6.9% less likely they have unfavorable and neutral attitudes respectively, and 11% more likely they have a favorable attitude towards SHS. Moreover, households who attained training are 3% and 5% less likely they have unfavorable and neutral attitudes respectively, and are 8% more likely to have a favorable attitude towards SHS. The finding of this study suggests that improving the economic status of households, better media access, and training would play a crucial role in creating a positive attitude within rural households to increase the adoption of SHS in rural Ethiopia.