Abstract
This paper analyses the factors influencing solar photovoltaic (PV) adoption intentions among micro-entrepreneurs in India and proposes an integrative conceptual framework drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Diffusion of Innovations (DOI), and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Based on a literature review, six determinants are identified: Financial Accessibility, Policy Support and Incentives, Perceived Economic Benefit, Social Influence, Technological Awareness, and Social Enterprise Support (SES), with Entrepreneurial Orientation as a moderator and Self-Efficacy as a mediator. The framework suggests that adoption is shaped not only by financial considerations but also by awareness, confidence, peer behaviour, and institutional support, with social enterprises playing a critical role by providing awareness, financing linkages, training, and post-sale services often lacking in informal markets. The study proposes nine hypotheses with implications for policymakers, financial institutions, and solar providers and calls for future empirical validation using structural equation modelling, contributing an integrated, multi-theoretical framework focused on the under-researched segment of micro-entrepreneurs in India.
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