Rooftop Photovoltaic Systems Adoption Using a Sequential Mixed Methods Approach in Qatar

Deterioration in the atmosphere due to global warming continues to be a pressing issue and a threat to sustainability. Renewable energy and sustainable development are keys to dealing with climate change. Solar energy technologies continue to decrease in cost and increase efficiency. Solar energy possesses the potential to fulfill the entire world's energy demand adequately and become the energy source of the future. Rooftop and building-integrated photovoltaic (PV) systems are ideal for collecting solar energy. Installing new solar panels in some countries is cheaper than a comparable investment in conventional energy sources.

The economic viability of a PV system relies on the country’s policies, customer acceptance, and the state of the economy. Unfortunately, there is a lack of suitable solar energy policies in Qatar and the Middle East countries. Moreover, Qatar's lack of rooftop implementation causes a public rooftop solar energy technologies awareness gap. As a result, low public rooftop technology acceptance would hinder the adoption of rooftop PV technologies. Therefore, there is a strong relationship between the solar policy, rooftop solar energy customer awareness and acceptance, and the adoption of solar rooftop systems.

This dissertation focuses on rooftop policies for rooftop PV systems in Qatar, public awareness and acceptance of solar rooftop systems, and their impact on rooftop PV systems in Qatar. In addition, this study aims to evaluate the customers' understanding and acceptance of rooftop PV systems through a sequential mixed method approach and the influence of policymakers and commercial sector trends. Finally, the viability and adoption acceptance is further explored by designing a rooftop PV system for a hospital in Qatar and investigating the opinions of technical facility management and engineering staff. The outcome of this research is essential for the future of rooftop PV adoption in Qatar.