Green energy pathways: differing perspectives to green energy transitions among homeowners

The ostensible gravity of rapidly increasing the numbers of homeowners producing green electricity and heat energy in their homes cannot be overlooked for sustainability. However, there is a dearth of research on the existence of barriers to, and the drivers for energy switching among South African households. Thus, this article explored the reasons for the adoption and non-adoption of renewable energy technologies by examining the motivations for, as well as the barriers to the installation or retrofitting of the microgeneration technologies in KwaZulu-Natal a province of South Africa. The purposive sampling approach was used to collect data from 19 university academics through semi-structured interviews. The data were interpreted through content and descriptive analysis. The findings of the study indicated several reasons why house owners are motivated to adopt microgeneration technologies and this included self-sufficiency, saving on energy costs, the desire to protect the environment. On the other hand, the house owners put forward the following reasons for not adopting: high initial costs, lack of adequate information about the technologies, as well as the perceived complexity of the procurement process. These findings are essential for policy makers and other stakeholders, when developing policies and strategies to heighten the adoption rate of microgeneration. Based on the findings, it is recommended that the adoption process of the microgeneration should be well coordinated. © 2023 by the authors. Licensee SSBFNET, Istanbul, Turkey. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).


Introduction
The plausible gravity of rapidly increasing the numbers of homeowners (used interchangeably with house owners) producing green electricity and heat energy in their homes cannot be overlooked, particularly in the face of the climate change and global warming tsunami sweeping the whole world.The rapid adoption of green product innovations, also referred to as microgeneration technologies or renewable energy technologies in this article, is of great importance for a sustainable future (Heiskanen andMatschoss, 2017, Rai, Reeves, &Margolis, 2016).Investing in microgeneration technologies such as the solar water heaters, heat pumps and biomass heating systems, is an economically feasible way of reducing carbon emissions from buildings and shrinking energy costs ( Balcombe, Rigby, & Azapagic,. 2015, Brandoni et al., 2014).In this context, to ensure a significant impact on a macro-level, the essence of successful green energy rests with massive uptake of microgeneration technologies (Brandoni et al., 2014).Hence, the residential sector has been recognised as key to ensuring a sustainable future (Scheuer, 2007, Heiskanen andMatschoss, 2017).However, a rigorous analysis is required to unpack this trend.
Although a significant body of literature from energy studies exists, most studies suggest that households do not uptake green product innovations, which are cost-effective, and energy-efficient (Heiskanen and Matschoss, 2017, Aggarwal et al., 2018, Balcombe et al., 2013, Christie, 2010).The energy-efficiency gap in the adoption of green energy products suggests that the underlying reasons for the lack of adoption are beyond the simple economic or information barriers (Christie, 2010, Schelly, 2014, Shen et al., 2017).Furthermore, recent studies highlighted that regardless of whichever perspective is considered, the question on factors affecting the adoption of green product innovations remains unanswered (Christie, 2010, Claudy, 2011, Balta-Ozkan et al., 2015, Elmustapha et al., 2018b, Heiskanen and Matschoss, 2017).
An understanding of energy-related behaviour and perceptions of different sectors would be fundamental, of which could help elicit positive changes in the adoption patterns of green energy technologies (Brandoni et al., 2014, Elmustapha et al., 2018b, Heiskanen and Matschoss, 2017).There is therefore a need for a study that examines sustainability practices and dimensions for each country, since each country is unique and therefore, has a different set of sustainability activities and patterns, with diverse stages of significance (Heiskanen andMatschoss, 2017, Elmustapha et al., 2018b).A new strand of literature suggests that there is evidence of different diffusional patterns for green product innovations, (Heiskanen and Matschoss, 2017, Zoric and Hrovatin, 2012, Balta-Ozkan et al., 2015, Schaffer and Brun, 2015).From this perspective, any result from earlier studies, in other countries, might not be relevant to the South African context.Thus, there is a need for research on the drivers, as well as the barriers to the adoption of microgeneration technologies in the local context.
Despite the ever-increasing electricity and water bills, as well as the inconvenience of load shedding, the South African households' use of microgeneration is very low (Eskom, 2019;DEA, 2017).There is an over reliance on electricity produced by Eskom which comes from burning of fossil fuels which emit greenhouse gasses: CO2 (Stats SA, 2016).It is reported that (88%) of the electricity produced by Eskom comes from burning coal (Stats SA, 2016).Moreover, there is a dearth of research on the existence of barriers to, and the drivers for energy switching among South African households.There is therefore a need for a study that rigorously analyses the factors influencing the patterns of adopting green product innovations in South Africa.Thus, the residential sector and in particular, microgeneration technologies, become the most suitable context for the study in question.
In light of the above, the current article explored the understanding and insights regarding microgeneration technology innovations, amongst the adopters and non-adopters.The purpose of this current article is to establish the factors influencing the adoption and the use and non-use of microgeneration technologies among homeowners in the South African context.The contribution of this study is important to the growing literature on the motivations and barriers that homeowners encounter in the adoption of microgeneration technologies.Hence, to fulfil the study's objectives, a semi-structured interview approach was employed to collect data.
The remainder of the article is organised as follows: theoretical basis and empirical studies, the research methods employed and data analysis.Next, a discussion of the findings and their implications is provided.Finally, the last section provides a conclusion, as well as future research guidelines.The following section focuses on the theoretical literature.

Literature Review
To grasp the premises of this article, it is crucial to review the theoretical arguments that have been put forth, to date.The following is a description of the diffusion theories, which underpin the adoption process of the green products innovations.

The diffusion theory
Significant contributions to the innovation process lie in the early works of Rogers (1962), who proposed the theory of Diffusion of Innovations (Rogers 2004).The theory describes the stages of innovation adopter categories as innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority and laggards.It is essential note that innovation varies from one country to another.For example, heat pumps are not innovative in Sweden, but in Germany they are whereas the situation is probably vice versa for solar power (Heiskanen and Matschoss, 2017).Households integrating green product innovations do so for several factors.For people leaving in developing countries, adopting microgeneration technologies such as solar panels is necessity, because they are off the national grid.However, the case could be different for households in other countries such South Africa, where electricity is available, despite the remarkable inconvenience of load shedding and heavy reliance on coal.From that perspective, the adoption of green energy technologies could be driven by the environmental considerations, as well as interests in the technology and its particular benefits (Balcombe et al., 2015, Aggarwal et al., 2018).
However, evidence from the Chasm theory (Moore, 1991), based on the diffusion process, has consistently shown that the transition to green product innovations is not always smooth and fast in nature, in many regions (Palm, 2018, Balta-Ozkan et al., 2015, Balcombe et al., 2013, Mani and Dhingra, 2012).The Chasm theory (Moore, 1991) asserts that the natural adoption process is at risk of becoming a market failure because of the unique psychographic profiles that exist between the different adopter groups.According to Moore (1991), the period when the innovators and early "enthusiasts" adopt the technology, while the majority of the consumers is waiting to see the functionality and worth of the technology is the most crucial and vulnerable stage.This on its own highlights the importance of successfully developing coordination strategies that should meet the needs of each group to adopt the innovation.
On the other end, Rogers (1995) and Valente (1995) developed a theoretical model to capture the significance and effect of interpersonal networks on the acceptance of innovations by individuals.The model highlights that the adoption process is contagious.The diffusion process involves the interpersonal process where individuals monitor others in their circles and emulate their behaviour to accept or not accept innovations (Valente, 1995).In this regard, the adopters assume a significant role in the diffusion process.The diffusion networks model not only helps to understand consumer behaviour, but to a certain extent, it also provides an explanation for the breaking of patterns.In view of this, the following section discusses the motivation and barriers associated with the adoption of microgeneration.

Motivations and barriers
Literature provides an array of motivations and barriers associated with the adoption of microgeneration (Palm, 2018, Hrovatin and Zorić, 2018, Heiskanen and Matschoss, 2017).Evidence from the self-determination theory (SDT), based on intrinsic and extrinsic motives in driving behaviour (Ryan andDeci, 2000, Ryan andDeci, 2017), has consistently shown pro-environmental behaviour such the "Greenies" predicts adoption of the green product innovations (Christie, 2010).Further studies investigated passive and active resistance to the adoption of green products adoption (Kleijnen et al., 2009, Claudy et al., 2015).
The motivations and the barriers can be categorised in different groups.A summary of the motivations and the barriers that were identified by previous scholars are presented in Table 1.However, it is important to note that some factors belong to more than one category.
There seems to be a general consensus that a broad range of factors influence the adoption of green products innovations, spanning from the country specific context, policy to household (Heiskanen and Matschoss, 2017, Balcombe et al., 2013, Crago and Chernyakhovskiy, 2017).Individual psychological factors such as confidence and perceived competence predict the adoption and usage of microgeneration technologies (Elmustapha et al., 2018b, Christie, 2010).Additionally, building and social factors including peer and media, as well as green support networks (Claudy et al., 2011a, Palm, 2018) are some of the factors that influence the acceptability and adoption of the green product innovations.

Very convenient
Installation and operational hassles The planning requires permission

Impact on residence
Enhances the atmosphere of the home Environmental commitment to others Occupies too much space Possible damage to the home during installation Disapproval and or annoyance from the neighbour Source: Adapted and modified, as found from literature (Balcombe et al., 2013: 658, Heiskanen andMatschoss, 2017,pp.582 -589 ) However, there is little consensus on the relative importance of the motivations and the barriers (Heiskanen andMatschoss, 2017, Hrovatin andZoric, 2018) as they vary with the context under study.Recent studies on microgeneration technologies (Heiskanen and Matschoss, 2017, Hrovatin and Zorić, 2018, Balcombe et al., 2013) point out that the motivation and barriers for integrating the renewable energy sources must be examined in the complex and multi-dimensional context in which such behaviours occur.
Previous literature on microgeneration technologies concentrated mainly in the developed countries, while little evidence is presented for the developing countries (Heiskanen andMatschoss, 2017, Baskaran et al., 2013).Empirical studies on the green energy technologies in South Africa are very sketchy.Notable exceptions are the works of (Winkler and Human Sciences Research, 2009, Winkler, 2010, Rahlao et al., 2012).Few studies examined South African households, with evidence limited to greening of the lowcost housing (Alcock, 2012, Loggia et al., 2015, Walwyn and Brent, 2015).Economic and social issues were identified as the most common barriers to the sustainable development of low income settlements (Loggia et al., 2015, Joubert et al., 2016).However, it has to be noted that the scarcity of literature in this area does not imply that the adoption of microgeneration technologies is unimportant in this country.

Research and Methodology
The research problem for this study called for a qualitative research design and as such, a series of semi-structured interviews were conducted in the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.A qualitative approach was deemed suitable to gain a deeper understanding of the people's differing perspectives and understanding (Ndoro et al., 2018, Bryman andBell, 2014).Adopting qualitative approach created a platform to provide a deeper and richer understanding of the individuals interaction with the microgeneration technologies in the residential sector (Creswell and Creswell, 2018).

Sampling and data collection
The target population for the study consisted of the academic employees from the universities in KwaZulu-Natal who were homeowners at the time of the study.Thus, the study employed the non-probability (convenience) sampling method to select the university, because of its convenient and accessibility to the researcher (Bryman andBell, 2014, Creswell andCreswell, 2018).The purposive sampling approach was again used to select the suitable research participants.Purposive sampling depends on the researcher`s personal judgement, as its main aim is to ensure the researcher selects the people who are able to provide the information needed, in order to answer the research questions.The use of the purposive sampling method is consistent with approaches used in similar empirical studies (Apostolopoulos andLiargovas, 2016, Trochim et al., 2016).
In view of the above, the data were collected from 19 carefully selected academics, using semi-structured interviews.The participants were chosen for several reasons: they were house owners, deemed knowledgeable about the key issues at hand, similar backgrounds and capabilities, as well as capable of engaging in a directed conversation on the subject.Two research assistants were recruited and trained to carry out the interview processes.Although the study targeted an equal number of adopters (including potential adopters) and non-adopters (resistors) of the green products innovations, it was difficult to get an equal number.The targeted sample was spread across different gender, age groups and income categories.
The in-depth interviews probed the respondents about their conceptions of microgeneration technologies and their role in combating climate change, as well as global warming.The questions aimed at revealing whether the participants had adopted and knew about the different individual microgeneration technologies.Secondly, participants were probed about their general attitudes and overall impressions of microgeneration technologies, the motivations behind the adoption of microgeneration, as well as the barriers to adoption.Finally, participants were asked about whether microgeneration prevent climate change, as well as the future of the technologies, from their own perspectives.

Data analysis
In line with the qualitative analysis, the audio-recorded data were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis procedures (Mapudzi and Osunkunle, 2017, Sommerfeld et al., 2017, Palm and Eriksson, 2018, Creswell and Creswell, 2018).The profile of the participants as well as the rate of adoption and the level of awareness data were analysed quantitatively using Excel spreadsheet.The five principles of research: credibility, dependability, transferability, conformability and research ethics were observed and maintained all the time, to ensure quality (Ndoro et al., 2018).In terms of ethical considerations, all the respondents were recruited on a voluntary basis.There were informed that they were going to be audio recorded and they were free to withdraw from participating in the research at any time, without any negative consequences.In addition, the anonymity and confidentiality were always maintained throughout the research process.

Participants' profile
The demographics of the 19 respondents took into consideration the age, gender and the level of qualification of the respondents.Amongst the participants, 63% was between the ages of 36 -50 years, 21% of the participants was in the 51 -60 years category, while 11% of the participants were between the ages of 20 to 35.One participant was above the age of 60 years old.The percentage ratio of males to females was 68% and 32%, respectively.Approximately, 89% of the respondents had a PhD, whilst the remainder had a Master's degree.Overall, the level of qualification and the positions occupied indicated a high level of experience within the tertiary education sector.In addition, eight participants owned the houses outright, while the other 11 were still paying for the mortgage.

Findings
The results of this study revealed several themes relating to the adoption of microgeneration technologies.The themes that emerged included the participants' conceptualisation of microgeneration technologies, the drivers and barriers to adoption, as well as the outlook of renewable energy technologies.On that note, the sections that follow describe the issues that emanated from the participants, categorised according to the themes that emerged during data analysis.

Awareness and adoption of the microgeneration technologies
In the first instance, the study sought to establish the participants' awareness of microgeneration technologies, that is, if they were aware of any technologies, their understanding of the term microgeneration technologies.The study also sought if they were using any of those microgeneration technologies, their general attitudes, as well as their overall impression of the available microgeneration technologies.
The results of the study indicated that despite knowing and actually using some of the technologies, most of the participants were not aware of the term microgeneration, except a few who could define it, probably based on their background such as being their field of specialisation or having taken related studies.Concerning the questions on this issue, the following responses emerged from the participants: In addition, Figure 1 presents information on the awareness and adoption rate of the microgeneration among the participants.The responses from the participants revealed that the participants were not homogenous in terms of the level of awareness and adoption of the microgeneration technologies.The level of awareness varied across the individual technologies: with solar water heaters (95%) and solar panels (90%) being very popular among the participants.Only three people mentioned that they were aware of the heat pumps, whilst one person was aware of the Micro CHP.It is essential to highlight that the different levels of awareness and adoption brings a wide perspective to the topic of discussion.heaters and wood pellets boilers, were already in use in some of the homes.Solar water heaters (21%) were the mostly adopted green energy technology.The solar panels were second, in terms of adoption with 11%, while one person adopted micro wind turbines and wood pellets.

Renewable energy sources
Despite the participants' inability to clearly define microgeneration technologies, they did reveal the underlying characteristics underpinning the understanding of the concept.The participants were able to indicate that the microgeneration technologies were renewable source of energy.Their understanding was that renewable energy sources are infinite, meaning that they do not run out and are reusable, as some participants noted that: It's those energy sources that come naturally from the environment and are cheaper because we just buy the necessary implements to have access to it.(Participant 6) Like solar energy, that comes from the sun, the sun is a natural phenomenon, so it just provides that form of energy.(Participant 18) The participants also indicated the fact that renewable energy is going to be there for a long time, which is a positive notion.This implies that they understand the fact that fossil fuels can get depleted, particularly in the near future, and they even managed to name a few examples of fossil fuels like coal and crude oil.
It doesn't get finished because it is natural, so we can use it as long as we need it, which is not the case with fossil fuels which get finished and we have to pump out money to buy them.(Participant 1)

Participants' attitudes towards microgeneration technologies
Another common characteristic that was associated with the green energy technologies is the issue of environmental concerns.It is interesting to note that there was a general consensus among the respondents.On one hand, there were participants who recognised that the environment plays a very important role, in their construction of what renewable energy sources entail.One participant even went further to explain how renewable energy is friendly to the environment, as compared to the fossil fuels, which "harm the environment and will get depleted soon".Among the emerging themes was that of being environmentally conscious: Besides saving on fuel bills, these technologies also improve the environment, they are clean and do not cause any kind of pollution.
There is no carbon dioxide emission.I am one person who is committed to conserving the environment.I am a 'Greenie'.( On the other side, there was some opposition to the notion of the climate change and global warming.One participant even went further to explain why there was no need for him to buy these technologies, as the climate change and global warming was any "issue brought by the developed, wealthy countries".Another participant said the two biggest economies of the world should deal with this issue first "before I start wasting my little earned cash" on these technologies.In this view, another important question, which the participants discussed at length, was their reasons for using the microgeneration technologies.

Motivations and barriers to the use of microgeneration technologies
This section presents the motivations for, as well as the barriers to the adoption of the microgeneration technologies.The results are summarised in Table 6.2.

Self-sufficiency
The participants of the study indicated the need to be self-sufficient in energy.In view of this, this is what some of the participants had to say:

I save a lot of money because I don't use electricity to heat the water and again, even if there is electricity blackout, I can still afford to have hot water from the geyser. (Participant 17)
I am going to buy solar, I need to be free from this Eskom fiasco (Participants 2) The good thing about this is that it's always there.Look at Eskom, it has continuously failed us with blackouts, so apparently it seems everyone is being proactive by installing these systems of renewable energy.But then, we still have to pay for the installation, that is the only challenge.(Participant 12) The technology is reliable, and I am confident about its performance I understand this field.(Participant 19) Based on the comments one might therefore argue that the ever-increasing electricity bills, as well as the load shedding by Eskom (National electricity utility), are becoming factors encouraging the adoption of green energy.In addition, the issue of exposure to the functions of the technology is important.Related to the subject of independence is the benefit of costs savings.Some of the participants elaborated the costs benefit derived from investing in microgeneration technologies:

It doesn't run out, like I used to have pre-paid electricity which I had to constantly check how many units are left. Sometimes I wouldn't have the money to top up the units, so with this one, I don't need to stress about it getting finished. (Participant 15)
Besides saving on electricity and water bills, these technologies also improve the environment, they are clean and do not cause any kind of pollution.(Participant 10) I don't need to rely on Eskom for lights, I simply switch and so we are kind of independent.It is also a less cost, as compared to using electricity from Eskom.(Participant 9) The feel-good factor, social networks, peer effect and exposure The participants of the study indicated that they felt good for being part of the people doing good for us.Some of the participants were quick to share their experiences with the innovations.This is supported by the following extracts: This is good, I went to Netherlands in 2013 and I was impressed …I am happy to see it and feel it every day.(Participant 17) …If I do not do it, then who will?Waiting for the government is not feasible.We have to play our role in making our city better.(Participant 3) I will help to spread the word… we need a better world, my city should be clean of these dangerous gases (Participant 15) One might therefore argue that the self-drive, social networks and peer effect plays a role in the diffusion process of microgeneration technologies.

Initial cost
With regards to the barriers affecting the installation of microgeneration technologies, the participants were quick to point to the cost of purchasing the equipment.Some of the participants had this to share:

The idea of buying the equipment, it's a bit expensive, I can't afford it. (Participant 2)
It's about affordability as well, you need to invest a lot of capital to install the technologies.Hence, some people find it better to just pay for the monthly bills of electricity, because they can't save for the equipment needed to install.With so many bills to pay every month, buying the technologies for sustainable energy would be a distant dream, even though one wishes to do so.(Participant 8) I don't earn much, so, thinking of buying those technologies is a nightmare for me.(Participant 10)

Value and the impact of the microgeneration technology on the property
The participants indicated that there is huge opportunity cost in investing in microgeneration technologies, which in anyway does not result in value increase of the property.Some participants had the following to say: Even If I buy those technologies, that doesn't increase the value of my house, so why spending lots of money on it?(Participant 7) … I would rather renovate my house and increase the value of my house (Participant 13) …Its better if I use the money to upgrade my security system than on these technologies now (Participant 12) …when I am busy burning my money on these technologies, someone is busy stealing money at Eskom, some are busy stealing electricity in the … locations… its just a waste of money here.We need order first … (Participant 4) Despite the responses provided above, the cost of adopting renewable energy is a cause of disagreement, meaning that it depends on individual perspectives.The argument is that initially, the installation can be expensive, but once that is done, it becomes cheaper and therefore, economically worth it.In other words, it is expensive only in the short-term, but the long-term benefits outweigh the costs.So, the short-term effect is that cost is a barrier to adoption.

Visibility, security and safety issues
The issue of security and safety concerns regarding the installation of the technologies was also mentioned as a barrier, which indeed is.The participants of the study clearly pointed that due to the high visibility of the technologies (installed on roof top), they cannot take the risk of adopting something which will increase their exposure to robberies.To this end, this is what some of the participants noted: If the burglars see that I have bought a solar system, then maybe they will target my house.I am so hesitant about installing these solar panels on the roof of my house.(Participant 6) I know that they will steal it and sell it in … (name of the country) countries because here the market is too small and people are not familiar with this.(Participant 18)

Lack of support networks and perceived complex procurement process
Another major concern, which came from the respondents, was the issue of lack of support and the complicated procurement methods and process.They highlighted that this is a one-man journey which comes with huge costs.Some of the extracts below were provided by the participants: If this technology is stolen or destroyed on my house, where will I claim, there is no guarantee that I will recover my money.(Participant 1) We get finances for cars and for our security system, we pay every month, where will I get the monies before I finish paying my bond.(Participant 5) I have never seen anyone demonstrating how these technologies work and where to find them (Participant 8) Here they are not so familiar or popular, except for the solar heating system, which is in the "RDP houses" low cost houses some of us have.But, where can I find them.The government is not helping us.There are no manufacturers or factories (Participant 11) Where will I find these technologies…Have you ever seen them at Makro or Build It? (Participant 10) Like I reiterated earlier, the manufacturers and suppliers of renewable energy technologies should reduce the cost of buying the technologies, so that everyone can afford them.That would encourage everyone to go green.(Participant 1)

Inadequate consumer information
The lack of information regarding the technologies was also mentioned as a barrier, which indeed is, and it resonates with the previous arguments on the lack of support networks.The participants of the study clearly pointed that due to the limited information which they have regarding the technologies, they cannot take the risk of adopting something which they do not have enough information.The availability of information encourages consumers to make informed decisions: It also needs more time and effort to research about these technologies, what are their advantages and disadvantages.Most of the information you need to look for it yourself, because the suppliers don't tell you about it.In fact, there isn't enough information which we should use to make informed decisions, so, it's one of those things.So, with lack of available information, people will not risk adopting something that they don't know much about, and most people cannot go out on their own to look for the information, unless they are really keen on it.(Participant 5) We don't know much about most of the technologies, we only grew up seeing the solar panel, that's the one we know better about and is simple to install and use.Most of them, we only see or hear about them, here and there, but without solid information as to how they work.(Participant 10) I know quite a lot of them, but they are not so familiar or popular, except the solar heating system, which most of us have.But I would love to improve from the solar panel, provided I get the necessary and convincing information on the others.(Participant 8) It basically refers to those energy efficiency technologies like the solar system, the geothermal heat pumps and the wood pellet boilers.But they are not very common in South Africa.I think we still need more education about it, so that we learn to use them and save electricity (Participant 12)

Lack of reliability, dependability and no guarantee
Another source of concern was with regards to the reliability, dependability of the innovation performance and perceived lack of after self-services.Some of the participants had the following to share: Sometimes they are not reliable, which means their performance is compromised.For example, during the rainy days, the solar panel doesn't work properly because it depends on the sun.so, if it rains for two or so consecutive days, we face the problem of having a short supply of energy, because the battery is not fully charged due to the bad weather.Then it becomes discouraging and expensive to find alternatives.(Participant 6) I have a very big diesel generator that is very powerful and reliable…It can withstand long periods of load shedding.I cannot rely on these solar technologies (Participant 10) These things are designed for the Western and American market not for us.If it breaks how will I take it back?(Participant 4) If my roof is damaged whilst installing this, who will pay for that?Eskom… it's too risky (Participant 12)

Environmental impact of microgeneration
The question on climate change was asked to establish if the participants knew anything about climate change phenomenon, or if it was one of their reasons for adopting green technologies.The participants were therefore asked if they thought microgeneration technologies can significantly contribute towards preventing climate change, To this end, this is what some of the participants noted: Yes, I agree, microgeneration technologies will indeed go a long way in protecting the environment.All that people need is awareness and more information about the benefits, which can be derived from using the microgeneration technologies.(Participant 3) I did mention that microgeneration technologies are environmentally friendly, meaning that yes, they contribute towards preventing climate change…I suppose everyone will eventually go the green technology route, especially considering the high cost of having non-renewable energy.(Participant 9) I would say yes, because if you look at the non-renewable energy, they threaten the environment in various ways, they get depleted and there is a fear that soon they will be very scarce.So, the non-renewable energy contributes to environmental degradation while renewable energy sources are clean and actually promote environmental conservation.So, yeah, there is need for serious marketing of microgeneration technologies, it's possible to see everyone in the near future, having one form of the technologies in their households.It's something that is doable.(Participant 14) Indeed, remember all these other energy sources and how they are destroying the ozone layer and heavily contributing to global warming.Renewable energy will indeed make a difference in preventing climate change.We need more education on that, to increase the installation of these green technologies… (Participant 17) The views expressed by the participants reiterate what has already been discussed earlier, among them, the fact that more information should be provided to the public so that people make informed decisions regarding renewable energy.It also came out strongly that the cost of purchasing the technologies is acting as a hindrance to the adoption process, hence, the request that the prices be lowered so that everyone can afford.The important point raised was that renewable energy is clean and environmentally friendly, as compared to the non-renewable energy, which is depleting and is being feared to get exhausted and depleted.

Discussion
This section provides a discussion of the findings.On that note, the sections that follow describe the issues that emanated from the participants, categorised according to the themes that emerged during data analysis.
First, a key challenge that emerged from the analysis is the issue of slow diffusion of the microgeneration technologies.The rate of adoption of the microgeneration technologies by the residents is too slow.The finding is line with (Claudy et al., 2015), who suggest that the slow diffusion is often associated with the low social acceptance and consumer resistance to the innovations.
Second, the microgeneration technology market seems to show that significant barriers to widespread market penetration affect it.There are a number of factors that were identified as directly presenting barriers to the installation of the microgeneration technologies.In support of (Claudy, 2011) findings, the initial cost of installation of the microgeneration technologies has been found to be one of the main barriers to the adoption process.Analogous to (Matsumoto, 2018) study, the results suggests that a typical consumer under-invest in energy efficiency features.This implies that microgeneration installations are not valued in the property market.The point therefore is that the installation of such technologies is not valued by the market, like other features such as security features and having a cottage.In other words, the procurement, renovations and retrofitting costs will not result in the market price increase of the property.The homeowner might count this as a loss when re-selling the house.Furthermore, the study seems to support the notion that the adoption decisions are associated with the perceived complexity of procurement methods and process, lack of support networks, as well as the security and safety issues.
Third, although the participants showed that they knew of the existence of the microgeneration innovations, which provide heat and electricity close to the consumption sources, the descriptions of what microgeneration is and its uniqueness, highlighted the variations in familiarity, attitude and adoption rates among the participants.The presence of the differing views is in line with previous studies (Rai et al., 2016;Balcombe et al., 2013).On the other end, one of the respondents confirmed some misconceptions, which are common in most people, that the generator system is a green innovation.The generator uses diesel, a non-renewable fossil fuel and it causes carbon emission, hence, cannot be classified under microgeneration technologies.The response by the particular participant indicates that some people still find it difficult to distinguish between renewable and non-renewable energy sources.
Fourth, interesting responses that emerged from some of the participants included how some energy consumers are committed to protecting the environment.Such findings concur with other studies (Balcombe et al., 2015, Demski andCardiff, 2011), who revealed that green technologies have a positive impact on the environment.Thus, the environmental motive is one of the reasons why people adopt sustainable energy.From the responses, there was a strong emphasis on the fact that renewable energy is "infinite"; it does not get finished like the fossil fuels.The findings concur with previous studies that support the notion that it does not pollute or degrade the environment (Crago and Chernyakhovskiy, 2017, Balcombe et al., 2015, Balta-Ozkan et al., 2015).Some participants also indicated that microgeneration technologies are economically viable ways of reducing carbon dioxide emissions and energy costs, while they can also help in terms encouraging positive energy consumption patterns.This is related to findings from previous studies (Rai et al., 2016;Ahmad et al., 2017;Balcombe et al., 2015).
As opposed to the barriers, the study highlighted that households adopt microgeneration technologies for several reasons.Selfsufficiency was the commonly identified motivation to installing microgeneration.Costs savings through reduced electricity bills, was also mentioned frequently.Adopters and potential adopters are driven by the feel-good factor, as well as the exposure and area of specialisation.The finding is analogous with previous studies (Allen et al., 2008, Palm, 2018, Schelly, 2014).

Implications Theoretical contributions
From this perspective, this study has contributed to the literature on attitude-behaviour gap, when it comes to the adoption of microgeneration technologies.In this view, the study highlighted the factors, which deter the consumers from installing and retrofitting microgeneration.The study has identified and captured some of the factors: the perceived complexity of the procurement method and process, visibility and security concerns, as well as the lack of green support network, as some of the barriers to the integration of microgeneration technologies.

Implications for practitioners and recommendations
Several findings emerged from the study: some as drivers, while others as the barriers to the uptake of the microgeneration.Amongst the motivations included the following: self-sufficiency, saving on energy costs, the desire to protect the environment.Amongst the barriers included the following: high initial costs, lack of adequate information about the technologies, perceived complexity of the procurement process.Further, the study provided insights into how microgeneration is conceptualised.Furthermore, it was evident that some participants do not really understand the concepts of microgeneration technology, yet they do appreciate and are positive about the outlook of these technologies.As such, the article recommends the measures that should be taken to encourage participation in new ways that contribute to housing sustainability:

Coordinate the adoption process of the microgeneration technologies
The descriptions provided by the participants, of what microgeneration is and its role highlights a number of distinct knowledge domains.Renewable energy sources programmes could provide information to help homeowners understand the microgeneration.For example, seminar series by local suppliers, regulators, installers, and other stakeholders can present them a platform to support green energy technologies.Such coordination could help to nurture the adoption of green technologies.

Reduce the complexity and increase visibility
One of the challenges highlighted by the participants was the issue of the complexity of the procurement process of microgeneration technologies.Indeed, sourcing is not an easy task, there is need for proper strategies in order to get the best value of money.There is great need to remove any barriers to the procurement process and more information on sourcing microgeneration technologies should be made available.Strategies such as cooperative sourcing and one stop centre could help alleviate some of the procurement challenges that the participants raised.

Communication
Social influence is crucial in dealing with some of the challenges embedded in the adoption of innovations.The role of media and the influence of experts cannot be underestimated in persuasion stage of the adoption process.There should be mass communication on the importance of a sustainable future with renewable energy sources, as opposed to fossil fuel.There is need for engagement and involvement of all different stakeholders.

Conclusions
The findings of this article provided important insights into the adoption of microgeneration technologies by South African homeowners.It is important to note that most of the participants showed a positive attitude towards the technologies, even though they confessed that they knew little about the various types of technologies available to them.However, from the analysis, despite the positive attitudes, that did not correspond with the actual adoption of the innovations, particularly because of the perceived barriers, which include high purchasing and installation costs, as well as the perceived complexity of the procurement method and process.Despite its potential contribution, the study explored the adoption of microgeneration technologies by homeowners in KwaZulu-Natal region.In this view, similar studies across different geographical areas of the country can be essential.Another interesting area will be future quantitative studies on the antecedents of awareness.Overall, the findings of the study seem to suggest that there is evidence of attitude-behaviour gap and the identification of the "contextualised" drivers and barriers will go a long way in helping to correct the scenario.The work enhances our understanding of microgeneration adoption process and thus it saves as baseline research, as well as encouragements for new ways to contribute to housing sustainability.
know about the term microgeneration technologies, it's my first-time hearing about it, but I know some of the things, like the solar panel (Participant 5) Microgeneration technologies, mmmm, it is quite difficult to define it, but I have an idea of the things, like the solar geysers, which I use at my home (Participant 14) I can't define it per se, but I know some few examples, the solar system, the micro wind turbines, I guess and the solar geyser system.I know it's a good way of saving electricity and it provides light even during load shedding, I just switch on the generator and light my house.(Participant 16) I know the solar panel, I bought that for my parents.At my house I have the solar geyser, They help me a lot … (Participant 3)

Figure 1 :
Figure 1: Level of awareness and adoption of microgeneration technologiesThe findings of the study also revealed that most of the participants have not yet installed the microgeneration.Adopters of microgeneration technologies refers to those who installed various technologies for various reasons.Non-adopters, on the other hand, refer to those individuals who have not yet installed any microgeneration technologies, but can be potential adopters.The information presented in Figure6.1 shows that about four of the technologies: micro-wind turbines, solar panels, solar water heater/thermal

Table 1 :
Summary of the motivations and barriers to the adoption of microgeneration

Table 2 :
Motivations and barriers to the adoption of microgeneration technologies