IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/juipol/v95y2025ics0957178725000311.html

Household acceptance of solar water heaters in South Africa: An expectancy-disconfirmation model

Author

Listed:
  • Mohloding, Refiloe
  • Phogole, Bopaki
  • Yessoufou, Kowiyou

Abstract

South Africa's energy development policy promotes adopting household solar energy as one of the key solutions to the current energy crisis and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from coal-generated electricity. However, the success of government-led solar energy adoption is strongly dependent on being socially accepted by the end users at the household level. In this study, we aimed to investigate the determinants of solar water heaters (SWH) acceptance to promote long-term adoption. We used questionnaires to collect data from 86 households that received SWHs as part of the government-led SWH programme in the township of Pimville in Soweto, South Africa. We then fitted two structural equation models to test socioeconomic and behavioural drivers of acceptance in line with the expectancy-disconfirmation model. Results show that SWH acceptance is strongly and negatively associated with user expectations. Furthermore, electricity savings from SWHs are positively associated with the education level of the users, hinting at the possibility of a rebound effect. These findings suggest that the effectiveness of the SWH programme is strongly dependent on meeting end-user expectations, regardless of its intended benefits. The significance of these findings lies in appreciating the importance of managing end-user expectations to enhance the acceptance and adoption of SWHs.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohloding, Refiloe & Phogole, Bopaki & Yessoufou, Kowiyou, 2025. "Household acceptance of solar water heaters in South Africa: An expectancy-disconfirmation model," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juipol:v:95:y:2025:i:c:s0957178725000311
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jup.2025.101916
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0957178725000311
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jup.2025.101916?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rosario J. Marrero & Juan Andrés Hernández-Cabrera & Ascensión Fumero & Bernardo Hernández, 2021. "Social Acceptance of Gas, Wind, and Solar Energies in the Canary Islands," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Edzisani Ellen Netshiozwi, 2019. "Causes of Failure of the South African Solar Water Heating Programme and the Forgone Social Benefits," Review of Social Sciences, LAR Center Press, vol. 4(1), pages 1-15, January.
    3. Paravantis, John A. & Stigka, Eleni & Mihalakakou, Giouli & Michalena, Evanthie & Hills, Jeremy M. & Dourmas, Vasilis, 2018. "Social acceptance of renewable energy projects: A contingent valuation investigation in Western Greece," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 639-651.
    4. Kyere, Francis & Dongying, Sun & Bampoe, Gertrude Dotse & Kumah, Naana Yaa Gyamea & Asante, Dennis, 2024. "Decoding the shift: Assessing household energy transition and unravelling the reasons for resistance or adoption of solar photovoltaic," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    5. Marco Segreto & Lucas Principe & Alexandra Desormeaux & Marco Torre & Laura Tomassetti & Patrizio Tratzi & Valerio Paolini & Francesco Petracchini, 2020. "Trends in Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy Across Europe—A Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-19, December.
    6. Wiese, Melanie & van der Westhuizen, Liezl-Marié, 2024. "Impact of planned power outages (load shedding) on consumers in developing countries: Evidence from South Africa," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    7. Bożena Gajdzik & Magdalena Jaciow & Kinga Hoffmann-Burdzińska & Robert Wolny & Radosław Wolniak & Wiesław Wes Grebski, 2024. "Impact of Economic Awareness on Sustainable Energy Consumption: Results of Research in a Segment of Polish Households," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-31, May.
    8. Banerjee, Rajabrata & Mishra, Vinod & Maruta, Admasu Asfaw, 2021. "Energy poverty, health and education outcomes: Evidence from the developing world," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    9. Hui Wang & Muhammad Wasif Zafar & Shujaat Abbas & Mehmet Akif Destek, 2023. "An assessment of energy poverty in sub-Saharan Africa: the role of financial inclusion and education," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(6), pages 4689-4711, December.
    10. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Zou, Jinyang, 2024. "Impacts of the energy transition on public health in the context of country risk: From an international perspective," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 873-895.
    11. Wustenhagen, Rolf & Wolsink, Maarten & Burer, Mary Jean, 2007. "Social acceptance of renewable energy innovation: An introduction to the concept," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 2683-2691, May.
    12. Stigka, Eleni K. & Paravantis, John A. & Mihalakakou, Giouli K., 2014. "Social acceptance of renewable energy sources: A review of contingent valuation applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 100-106.
    13. Sinethemba Peter & Njabulo Kambule & Stephen Tangwe & Kowiyou Yessoufou, 2022. "Quantification of the Impact of Solar Water Heating and Influence of Its Potential Utilization through Strategic Campaign: Case Study in Dimbaza, South Africa," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-14, November.
    14. Bhowmik, Chiranjib & Bhowmik, Sumit & Ray, Amitava, 2018. "Social acceptance of green energy determinants using principal component analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 1030-1046.
    15. Dil Bahadur Rahut & Khondoker Abdul Mottaleb & Akhter Ali, 2017. "Household Energy Consumption and Its Determinants in Timor-Leste," Asian Development Review, MIT Press, vol. 34(1), pages 167-197, March.
    16. Curry, Claire & Cherni, Judith A. & Mapako, Maxwell, 2017. "The potential and reality of the solar water heater programme in South African townships: Lessons from the City of Tshwane," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 75-84.
    17. Beyene, Abebe D. & Mekonnen, Alemu & Jeuland, Marc & Czakon, Sebastian, 2024. "Socioeconomic impacts of solar home systems in rural Ethiopia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    18. Boyle, Kevin J. & Boatwright, Jessica & Brahma, Sreeya & Xu, Weibin, 2019. "NIMBY, not, in siting community wind farms," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 85-100.
    19. Stephan Grimmelikhuijsen & Gregory A. Porumbescu, 2017. "Reconsidering the expectancy disconfirmation model. Three experimental replications," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(9), pages 1272-1292, October.
    20. Zoltán Szakály & Péter Balogh & Enikő Kontor & Zoltán Gabnai & Attila Bai, 2020. "Attitude toward and Awareness of Renewable Energy Sources: Hungarian Experience and Special Features," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-25, December.
    21. Marzouk, Mai A. & Salheen, Mohamed A. & Fischer, Leonie K., 2024. "Towards sustainable urbanization in new cities: Social acceptance and preferences of agricultural and solar energy systems," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    22. Mothusi Boihang & Kowiyou Yessoufou, 2022. "Testing the expectancy-disconfirmation theory: Geography, employment status and household size of local communities determine their perspectives of a local mine business in South Africa," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(7), pages 1-17, July.
    23. Wenjie Li & Jiaolan Zhu & Yongchang Li & Yaning Li & Zhikun Ding, 2024. "Determinants of Solar Photovoltaic Adoption Intention among Households: A Meta-Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-18, September.
    24. Ye, Yuxiang & Koch, Steven F., 2021. "Measuring energy poverty in South Africa based on household required energy consumption," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    25. Peng Wang & Fengchun Fan & Zaoli Yang, 2022. "Examining and Expanding the Expectancy Disconfirmation Model: Evidence from Rural China," Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society, Hindawi, vol. 2022, pages 1-11, May.
    26. Sermarini, Anna Carolina de Paula & Azevedo, João Henrique Paulino & Albuquerque, Vanessa Cardoso de & Calili, Rodrigo Flora & Gonçalves, Felipe & Jannuzzi, Gilberto, 2024. "Distributed energy resources in low-income communities: A public policy proposal for Brazil," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    27. D׳Souza, Clare & Yiridoe, Emmanuel K., 2014. "Social acceptance of wind energy development and planning in rural communities of Australia: A consumer analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 262-270.
    28. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Yuan, Zihao, 2024. "Impact of energy poverty on public health: A non-linear study from an international perspective," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    29. Bohlmann, J.A. & Inglesi-Lotz, R., 2021. "Examining the determinants of electricity demand by South African households per income level," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 148(PA).
    30. Peri, Erez & Becker, Nir & Tal, Alon, 2020. "What really undermines public acceptance of wind turbines? A choice experiment analysis in Israel," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    31. Petrova, Maria A., 2016. "From NIMBY to acceptance: Toward a novel framework — VESPA — For organizing and interpreting community concerns," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1280-1294.
    32. Yang Jia & Bingsheng Liu & Jinfeng Zhang, 2024. "Impact of supply–demand matching on citizen satisfaction: analysis based on expectancy disconfirmation model," Journal of Chinese Governance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2), pages 221-243, April.
    33. Karytsas, Spyridon & Theodoropoulou, Helen, 2014. "Socioeconomic and demographic factors that influence publics' awareness on the different forms of renewable energy sources," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 480-485.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ristić, Dragana Nikolić & Đokić, Nenad & Đukić, Suzana, 2026. "The role of consumer behavior in the market for solar panels in Serbia," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ephraim Bonah Agyekum & Ernest Baba Ali & Nallapaneni Manoj Kumar, 2021. "Clean Energies for Ghana—An Empirical Study on the Level of Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy Development and Utilization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-14, March.
    2. Ana María González & Harrison Sandoval & Pilar Acosta & Felipe Henao, 2016. "On the Acceptance and Sustainability of Renewable Energy Projects—A Systems Thinking Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-21, November.
    3. Busse, Maria & Siebert, Rosemarie, 2018. "Acceptance studies in the field of land use—A critical and systematic review to advance the conceptualization of acceptance and acceptability," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 235-245.
    4. Jung, Nusrat & Moula, Munjur E. & Fang, Tingting & Hamdy, Mohamed & Lahdelma, Risto, 2016. "Social acceptance of renewable energy technologies for buildings in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area of Finland," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 813-824.
    5. Altsitsiadis, E. & Kaiser, M. & Tsakas, A. & Kyriakidis, A. & Stamos, A., 2024. "Investigating the Regional and Individual Drivers of the Support for Renewable Energy Transition: The Role of Severe Material Deprivation," Cambridge Working Papers in Economics 2419, Faculty of Economics, University of Cambridge.
    6. Woo, JongRoul & Chung, Sungsam & Lee, Chul-Yong & Huh, Sung-Yoon, 2019. "Willingness to participate in community-based renewable energy projects: A contingent valuation study in South Korea," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 643-652.
    7. Anna Kowalska-Pyzalska, 2018. "An Empirical Analysis of Green Electricity Adoption Among Residential Consumers in Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-17, July.
    8. Ponce Oliva, R.D. & Estay, M. & Barrientos, M. & Estevez, R.A. & Gelcich, S. & Vásquez-Lavín, F., 2024. "Emerging energy sources' social acceptability: Evidence from marine-based energy projects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    9. Choi, Jihye & Kim, Justine Jihyun & Lee, Jongsu, 2024. "Public willingness to pay for mitigating local conflicts over the construction of renewable energy facilities: A contingent valuation study in South Korea," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    10. Budría, Santiago & Bravo Chew, Leslie, 2025. "Enduring Inequalities: Analyzing Energy Poverty Inertia Across K-Means Clusters," IZA Discussion Papers 17809, IZA Network @ LISER.
    11. Anna Kowalska-Pyzalska, 2018. "An empirical analysis of green energy adoption among residential consumers in Poland," HSC Research Reports HSC/18/01, Hugo Steinhaus Center, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology.
    12. Karmaker, Shamal Chandra & Rjbongshi, Ajoy & Pal, Bikash & Sen, Kanchan Kumar & Chapman, Andrew J., 2025. "Machine learning-based prediction of energy poverty in Bangladesh: Unveiling key socioeconomic drivers for targeted policy actions," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    13. Rodríguez-Segura, Francisco Javier & Osorio-Aravena, Juan Carlos & Frolova, Marina & Terrados-Cepeda, Julio & Muñoz-Cerón, Emilio, 2023. "Social acceptance of renewable energy development in southern Spain: Exploring tendencies, locations, criteria and situations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    14. Neveen Hamza & Ruben Paul Borg & Liberato Camilleri & Charalampos Baniotopoulos, 2022. "Experts versus the Public: Perceptions of Siting Wind Turbines and Performance Concerns," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-25, October.
    15. Maria Busse & Nico Heitepriem & Rosemarie Siebert, 2019. "The Acceptability of Land Pools for the Sustainable Revalorisation of Wetland Meadows in the Spreewald Region, Germany," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-18, July.
    16. Cohen, Adi & Fischhendler, Itay & Katz, David, 2023. "Institutional acceptance of wildlife mitigation technologies for wind energy: The case of Israel," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    17. Landeta-Manzano, Beñat & Arana-Landín, Germán & Calvo, Pilar M. & Heras-Saizarbitoria, Iñaki, 2018. "Wind energy and local communities: A manufacturer’s efforts to gain acceptance," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 314-324.
    18. Lindvall, Daniel & Elwing, Erik & Marzelius, Milla & Harring, Niklas, 2026. "Wind energy acceptability across five major economies: A comparative analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    19. Marit Sprenkeling & Tara Geerdink & Adriaan Slob & Amber Geurts, 2022. "Bridging Social and Technical Sciences: Introduction of the Societal Embeddedness Level," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-16, August.
    20. Takvor H. Soukissian & Dimitra Denaxa & Flora Karathanasi & Aristides Prospathopoulos & Konstantinos Sarantakos & Athanasia Iona & Konstantinos Georgantas & Spyridon Mavrakos, 2017. "Marine Renewable Energy in the Mediterranean Sea: Status and Perspectives," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-56, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:juipol:v:95:y:2025:i:c:s0957178725000311. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/utilities-policy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.