Nanotechnology for Rural Solar Solutions: Understanding Social Readiness and Technical Viability

Abstract This theoretical review looks at the link between the technical feasibility and social acceptance of solar nanomaterials for photovoltaic use in rural India. It relies solely on existing literature without conducting surveys or fieldwork. Recent developments in nanomaterials like graphene, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), metal oxides (like TiO₂), and quantum dots (QDs) show efficiency improvements of up to 44% due to better light absorption, charge transfer, and thermal management. This makes them suitable for off-grid energy solutions in rural areas. However, there are still challenges such as scalability, stability, and high production costs. Social acceptance depends on views about economic benefits, reliability, and trust in service providers. Barriers like rural-urban inequality, distrust of the private sector, and gaps in awareness decrease support. This paper suggests a new Socio-Technical Acceptance Framework (STAF) that combines technical metrics with social factors to provide a new perspective for policy-making aimed at improving equitable adoption. The conclusions highlight the importance of awareness-driven programs and subsidies to connect technical feasibility with social acceptance. This approach can help advance sustainable energy transitions in under-resourced rural areas. Keywords Solar nanomaterials; Renewable energy; Rural India; Social acceptance; Sustainable growth