Evaluating the influence of environmental factors on household solar PV pro-environmental behavioral intentions: A meta-analysis review

Abstract

The surge in solar PV-based technology adoption worldwide is driven by concerns about climate change and energy insecurity. Consequently, studies have examined the determinants of solar PV adoption and identified environmental factors such as environmental concern and environmental knowledge as significant predictors of pro-environmental behavioral intentions, including the intention to adopt, intention to use, purchase intention, and overall sustainable behavioral intention. This study conducts a systematic review of existing research on household solar PV adoption and performs a meta-analysis using a Random-effects model to examine the combined effect sizes of environmental concern and environmental knowledge factors on the four pro-environmental behavioral intention variables (PEBI). A total of 23 studies with 42 observations (N = 18,106 across 7 countries) are included in the meta-analysis. The results show moderate positive correlations between environmental knowledge and PEBI (z = 0.48, p(z) < 0.001), as well as between environmental concern and PEBI (z = 0.39, p(z) < 0.001), indicating significant effects despite the presence of high heterogeneity among the effect sizes. Subgroup analyses are conducted to assess the variability in effect sizes among environmental knowledge and concern with PEBI in rural and urban households, as well as in higher-grade solar PV-based systems and lower-grade solar PV-based products. The findings reveal no significant differences in the effect sizes of environmental factors on PEBI between rural and urban household subgroups. However, in the solar PV technology subgroups, significant differences are observed. These findings provide valuable insights for academia, practitioners, and stakeholders in the renewable energy domain.