Abstract
Abstract
Madagascar’s unreliable grid and low electricity access have prompted interest in off-grid solar (OGS). Madagascar’s energy policy promotes OGS as a key strategy for electrifying off-grid areas. Non-branded/non-affiliate products dominate the OGS sector. However, research on diffusion and household adoption of such products is limited, particularly in areas of severe energy poverty. Guided by Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory, we conducted qualitative interviews with nine rural OGS-using households and five vendors near Fort Dauphin (Anosy Region), complemented by field observations of OGS system components and their everyday use. Data were analysed using four of Rogers’ innovation attributes: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, and observability. We found that affordability and functional benefits of OGS were key drivers of OGS adoption amongst interviewed households, with non-affiliate products providing more relative advantages and compatibility to local culture and livelihoods than affiliate products. Yet, the complexity of non-affiliate OGS is underestimated at purchase, installation, maintenance, and operation stages, resulting in reduced product lifespans and prompting households to retain back-up energy sources. We argue that greater recognition of the informal, non-affiliate OGS market, including the need for increased support for technical capacity building across the sector, is critical to transform rapid OGS diffusion into reliable, clean energy access for remote populations.