Advances in Sustainable Technologies’ Adoption: A Research Agenda for Smart Grid

Abstract

The growing concerns of environmental and economic consequences amid the rapidly increasing demand for energy call for sustainable technologies’ adoption in Ghanaian households. Sustainable technologies such as smart prepaid metering technology (SPMT) face several challenges that affect their adoption rate in developing economies. This chapter investigates household acceptance of smart prepaid metering technology by drawing on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) and energy innovation-related variables. A research model was developed and tested using structural equation modeling (SEM) from 298 household energy consumers in Ghana. The findings indicate that household consumers’ intention to adopt SPMT is highly influenced and fostered by perceived privacy risk, habit, and perceived ease of use. Similarly, inherent innovativeness is highly probable and fostered by its expected consumers’ willingness to pay for efficient energy and perceived privacy risk. Further, the continuous intention to adopt SPMT by household consumers is highly influenced and promoted by inherent innovativeness and their intention to adopt SPMT in the first place. Conversely, willingness to pay for efficient energy was found to be insignificant for SPMT adoption in a developing country context. Nevertheless, energy distributors’ effort to address privacy concerns and technology complexity can benefit its adoption provided the energy distributors also strive to build consumers’ awareness of the technology. Based on the chapter’s findings and review of emerging literature on sustainable technologies in households, six barriers and their associated research agendas were identified which provides insight for future studies. This chapter is useful for academicians, energy regulators, and practitioners to focus their enquiries, research, and interventions on the adoption of sustainable technologies in developing economies. These intervention factors tend to promote or inhibit efficient energy use or sustainable technology adoption. The successful convergence of the UTAUT2 and innovation-related factors would accelerate the adoption of SPMT and importantly facilitate governments’ digital transformation agenda in developing economies. Three policy dimensions necessary to drive sustainable technologies were identified: customer awareness and access, customer satisfaction and value, and sustaining customer curiosity and interest in innovation.