Predicting Residential Photovoltaic Adoption Intention of Potential Prosumers in Thailand: A Theory of Planned Behavior Model

Abstract

The current study investigates economic expectations and socio-psychological factors influencing individuals’ residential photovoltaic (RPV) adoption intentions in Thailand. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the diffusion of innovation theory provide a framework for our predictor selection. We obtained the data from a nationwide survey on electricity prosumer infrastructure. RPV non-users (N = 760) were asked to rate their RPV knowledge, attitudes, perceived behavioral controls (PBCs), norms, and innovativeness. They then read scenarios describing the current RPV installation cost and payback rate. They rated their adoption intention and specified their intended system capacity, affordable installation cost, and desirable payback period. The gaps between the actual and desired installation costs and the internal rate of return were calculated. These economic expectation gaps, attitudes based on financial benefits, PBC based on perceived financial barriers, social norms, and innovativeness significantly predicted the adoption intention. On the other hand, perceived knowledge, attitudes based on environmental and image benefits, and PBC based on anticipated troubles and inconveniences failed to predict intention. The implications of the TPB model for RPV adoption were discussed.