Linking social-psychological factors with policy expectation: Using local voices to understand solar PV poverty alleviation in Wuhan, China

The Chinese government has established a photovoltaics poverty alleviation (PVPA) program to help reduce rural poverty and environmental inequality. However, there is a scarcity of detailed investigations into how social-psychological factors influence the rural poor's decision to adopt solar photovoltaics. The present study examines the local voices of low-income villagers in the Wuhan region towards the PVPA projects from a social-psychological perspective. While focusing on local villagers' opinions before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, our findings suggest that villagers' neighbors have the greatest influence on those who subequently adopt solar PV. Similarly, village agents play a crucial role in spreading information and creating a sense of trust, which is different than other countries' solar adoption. The common goals of improving the local community aesthetically, environmentally, and economically also increased villagers' adoption likelihood. These improvements boosted villagers' sense of pride, which, in a virtuous cycle, further encouraged participation in improving the community. Residents' fears were reduced through local social interactions which increased knowledge, such as village-wide technology demonstrations, conversations with local adopters, and town hall discussions with village leaders. However, - the PVPA projects and skepticism about when or if they would receive promised government subsidies prevented many from adopting. These findings provide valuable implications for policy-makers in China and other developing countries who wish to encourage renewable energy adoption after the pandemic.

Automated summary

The study found that neighbors and village agents play a crucial role in influencing the adoption of solar photovoltaics, while common goals of community improvement increased villagers' likelihood of adoption. Local social interactions helped reduce residents' fears and increase knowledge about solar energy.