Rural residents' acceptance of clean heating: An extended technology acceptance model considering rural residents' livelihood capital and perception of clean heating

Abstract

Subsidy policies developed without considering the impacts of different livelihood capital levels may result in rural residents with low livelihood capital levels not be able to afford clean heating. Given this problem, this study explores whether different kinds of livelihood capital, not just perceptual factors, affect rural residents' acceptance of clean heating equipment (i.e., satisfaction levels, intent to continuously use, and intent to recommend). This exploration was done by establishing a model called the Livelihood Capital Integrated Technology Acceptance Model; the model was then tested using data from 301 questionnaire surveys collected from residents of Fenwei Plain, China. The results were as follows. First, perceptual factors and livelihood capital both affect rural residents' acceptance of clean heating. Second, most rural residents, regardless of livelihood capital level, prefer to use an air source heat pump. Third, at different kinds of livelihood capital, the frequency of obtaining policy information has the greatest impact on satisfaction; the per capita annual income has the greatest impact on the intent to recommend clean heating; and the number of laborers in the household has the greatest impact on the intent to continuously use clean heating.