Influence of Socio-technical Factors on the Performance of Solar Energy Integration Programmes: a Case of Coast Region of Kenya

Abstract

solar energy integration" refers to the process of seamlessly incorporating solar energy systems into various aspects of energy infrastructure, buildings, and technologies. This involves designing, installing, and optimizing solar panels and related components to generate electricity or heat from sunlight, and effectively integrating this energy into existing power grids, buildings, industrial processes, and transportation systems. This research sought to establish how technical factors like research and development in installation cost improvement and energy storage solutions as well as social factors like consumer awareness, household needs and regulatory framework affected the performance of solar energy integration programs at the coast region. The descriptive research design was used in this investigation. This study's target demographic included businesses and individuals such as firm leaders, sales managers, and sales engineers, as well as a sample of customers in the Coast region who were impacted or impacted by solar energy integration initiatives. Census sampling was employed. The researcher carried out a survey using a questionnaire survey in which respondents read the survey queries and then provided their responses. The researcher conducted a pilot survey with five individuals from the solar energy integration business, whose feedback was critical in developing the final questionnaire that was distributed to participants. The questionnaires were examined by experts in solar industry and from the project management field, with feedback utilized to modify the surveys before mailing them to respondents. Data was analysed by the use of SPSS. The researcher explored how the independent variables i.e. consumer awareness, household needs, research and development, installation costs and technological advancements influenced performance of solar energy integration programs in Coast region. From the findings, all the independent variables greatly affected performance of solar energy integration programs in Coast region. All the variables had positive correlations with installation costs having the highest correlation of 77%. The study recommended that the Coast region county governments should introduce financial incentives such as tax credits, subsidies, and rebates for solar installations. These incentives can make solar energy systems more affordable and attractive to a wider range of individuals and businesses. Another study can be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of various policies and incentives aimed at promoting solar energy adoption, with a focus on understanding their impact on market growth and technology innovation.