Solar Energy Awareness and Government Support Perception: A Moderated Mediation Model of Solar Adoption Intention and Clean Energy Usage

Abstract

This paper will investigate the impact of solar energy awareness (SEA) on clean energy usage (CEU), and the mediating force of solar adoption intention (SAI) and the moderating impact of government support perception (GSP) in the mediated relationship through the theory of planned behavior (TPB). A structured questionnaire, convenience sampling technique were used to collect data on a sample of 318 household energy consumers in Jordan, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to test the hypothesized proposals. The results show that SEA is a considerable and positive influencer of SAI and CEU. Additionally, SAI was found to mediate the relationship between SEA and CEU indicating its critical role in converting awareness into real sustainable behavior. GSP further supported this mediated relationship, highlighting the significance of perceived policy and institutional support in strengthening the effectiveness of SEA. This paper offers a new approach to the relationship between personal consciousness and organizational encouragement in facilitating CEU, by combining SAI and GSP into the framework of TPB, which expands behavioral energy research. The results contribute to theoretical insights into the behavior of clean energy and provide policy implications that policymakers can use to speed up the use of solar energy in the developing economies.