Role of media use, incentives policy, and perceived inconveniences in transforming consumers’ intention to purchase residential rooftop solar panel systems in India

Purpose Despite increased promotional efforts from marketers and policymakers to enhance the adoption of residential rooftop solar panel systems (SPS) in India, the acceptance rate of SPS is minimal. Thus, by extending the technology acceptance model (TAM), this study aims to examine the role of media use, incentives policy and perceived inconveniences in determining consumers’ purchase intention of SPS in India. Design/methodology/approach Based on purposive sampling among potential consumers residing in three northern-west states of India, 585 responses were collected using the field survey technique and analyzed with the help of PLS-SEM. Findings Results indicated that attitude toward SPS, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, media coverage of green energy technology (GET) messages, media exposure to environmental issues and perceived incentives policy are important predictors of SPS purchase intention. Contrarily, overall perceived cost and perceived inconveniences were identified as the barriers that negatively affect perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and purchase intent. Perceived incentives policy showed a positive moderation effect on the relationship between perceived cost and purchase intention. Originality/value This study adds new knowledge to the literature on solar energy adoption by discovering novel relationships of perceived inconveniences, media coverage of GET messages and media exposure to environmental issues, with TAM’s constructs. This study also offers the first practical evidence of how perceived incentives policy moderates the relationship between perceived cost and purchase intention.