Identifying the Barriers to the Adoption of Renewable Energy Technology in the Agricultural Sector of Dashtestan: Application of Grounded Theory

Growing environmental, economic and social problems are forcing governments and policymakers to ensure a sustainable energy future through the use of renewable energy technology. However, there are various obstacles to the development of renewable energy technology. Therefore, based on a qualitative approach and using the grounded theory method, this study investigated the barriers to the adoption of renewable energy technologies in the agricultural sector of Dashtestan county in the south of the country.

The study area consisted of urban farmers, including farmers and gardeners (23 people), who were selected using the random sampling method and interviewed free of charge.

According to the results of the interviews, factors such as lack of energy storage systems, lack of confidence of farmers, financial problems, lack of attention of politicians and planners, inability of farmers to use their professional skills, high cost of starting the system, intermittent The presence and unavailability of energy resources were identified as the main barriers to farmer adoption of renewable energy technology and were grouped into 8 categories, including economic and support barriers, technical and infrastructure barriers, legal and policy barriers,education and skills, technological, social and human barriers, and motivational factors. Finally, these classes were classified into a paradigmatic model based on Strauss and Corbin’s theory to get out of the problem under study.

The results of this study will help energy policymakers and planners to focus their future efforts on the use of renewable energy technologies in the agricultural sector for sustainable energy planning and development.