Assessing sustainable energy transition pathways in the Philippines: An integrated TAM-TOE-TPB approach

Current research lacks an integrated model explaining how the digital economy influences sustainable energy adoption in the Philippines. This study fills that gap by proposing a unified framework to analyze the mediating role of e-governance and non-linear drivers within an urban context. This study integrates the technology acceptance model, the technology–organization–environment framework, and the theory of planned behavior to analyze the role of digital technologies and e-governance in the Philippines’ energy transition (ET). Using a two-stage structural equation modeling–artificial neural network approach on survey data from the urban context of Manila, we reveal that e-governance mediates the relationship between the digital economy and sustainable energy adoption, despite the digital economy’s insignificant direct impact. Key drivers include positive perceptions of renewable energy and energy efficiency. While blockchain and smart contracts show potential, their adoption faces regulatory barriers. Our analysis uniquely captures both linear and non-linear relationships, highlighting renewable energy as the paramount driver, followed by blockchain and energy efficiency. Supportive policies are crucial for leveraging digital technologies to achieve climate goals. This validated framework offers insights for accelerating ETs in developing economies. While the findings provide a critical urban perspective, future multi-regional validation is recommended to ensure nationwide applicability.