The main objective pursued during this study focuses on the utilization of sustainable energy sources in the city, along with familiarizing homeowners with solar photovoltaic panel technology. Therefore, increasing the use of solar energy in the city will allow saving energy and protecting the environment by reducing the burning of fossil fuels. Moreover, the discussion of renewable energy and its applicability in the city of Abu Dhabi is thoroughly investigated.
The main objective is to clarify the most possible and applicable scenarios where solar energy can be utilized accordingly in the city of Abu Dhabi. Furthermore, one of Abu Dhabi's sustainability visions is to host the largest solar farm in the world.
Materials and Methods 1. Research Objectives
Moisture ingress is investigated in the second strategy to understand how humidity affects solar cell performance. Then, the scenarios, which have been intensively covered and researched, provide an overview of the four different possibilities to implant solar panels and use them to develop energy generation in homes in the city of Abu Dhabi, whether to power the grid or just homes. Since little information is available on the social acceptance of solar energy in the UAE, this study has been designed as an exploratory study.
As the responses to the survey may have come from different backgrounds and the respondents may have had different experiences with the topic, the language used in the questionnaires was simple and understandable in English and Arabic, with only a few technical terminologies. A survey was conducted to further demonstrate social awareness of solar energy in Abu Dhabi;. The survey highlights both general awareness and whether the respondent is even aware of solar energy and whether they are willing to back it up by considering the use of solar panels soon.
The main audience that was targeted were home owners, mainly postgraduate students and faculty, along with married and single men and women, to identify in depth the status of social acceptance that is currently available in the city of Abu Dhabi among the intellectuals of interested The research study specifically focuses on investigating the social acceptance of using solar energy for homeowners. Therefore, the chosen scenario is the key to stimulating the adaptation of solar energy systems in the homes of local residents in the city of Abu Dhabi.
However, the role of research and development in the field of sustainability should always be observed and discussed further to meet the higher core goals in the UAE.
Results and Discussion
The respondents involved in the research on solar energy development in Abu Dhabi were local individuals between the ages of 18 and 59. The education level of the respondents was also taken into account during the survey to rate their awareness of solar energy accordingly. The financial status of the respondents was also included in the survey to demonstrate the financial capacity of the interested respondents to purchase and install solar panels in their homes.
The results show that only 4% of the respondents were not at all interested, where 12% were not at all interested, 47% were moderately interested and 41% of the respondents were extremely interested, as shown below in Figure 9 .The survey highlights public opinion on solar energy schemes in Abu Dhabi. Most respondents suggest that knowing the right information on solar energy materials is the most important factor in their purchasing decision.
However, only a minority of respondents indicate that knowledge of the environmental impact of solar energy materials is a prominent factor for them to decide, as shown in Figure 11. The results show that only 4% of respondents were not interested at all, where 12 % were not at all interested, 47% were moderately interested, and 41% of respondents were extremely interested, as shown below in Figure 9. respondents indicate that knowing the right information about solar energy materials is the most important factor for them to decide themselves to buy and install solar energy materials, where other respondents suggest knowing ini‐.
However, only a minority of respondents suggest that it is good to know the impact of solar energy materials on the environment.
Level of Importance to Decide on Purchasing and Installing Solar Energy Materials (%)
In addition, many of the survey responses show an interest in solar development for Abu Dhabi city and Al Ain.
Level of Importance of the Following Organizations in Promoting Solar Energy (%)
The survey also asked respondents about the importance of the factors that can improve the formulation of a new solar energy policy in the city of Abu Dhabi. According to the majority of respondents, one of the most important factors in terms of importance is to increase public knowledge and awareness of solar energy, which requires new policies to facilitate the expected and realistic scenarios to practically use solar energy. Similarly, the second important factor is to provide incentives for the use of solar energy that will motivate the public accordingly, which will then lead to new policies that will further regulate and develop the solar energy sector, while some respondents argue that entering into partnerships with developed countries to learn from their solar energy experience is an important factor for developing new solar energy policies in Abu Dhabi.
In particular, the respondent's most favorable scenario is to buy and install solar panels for personal use if the cost is supported by the government through green energy initiatives. The second favorable scenario, however, is for homeowners to buy and install solar panels at their own expense if it helps them lower their monthly electricity bills and thus save money. Finally, the least favored of the four scenarios is for homeowners to buy and install solar panels at their own expense if the practice helps conserve the environment and conserve natural resources that are at risk of being depleted.
Degree of importance of the factors to develop new solar energy policy in Abu Dhabi.
Level of Importance of the Factors to Develop New Solar Energy Policies in Abu Dhabi (%)
The main aim of the research was to understand the level of solar awareness and interest of homeowners in the city of Abu Dhabi and, more importantly, to analyze the most compelling scenario that would encourage homeowners to install solar energy systems in their private homes. to install. The survey focused on several aspects to ensure balanced results that support the preferred scenario, as listed in Table 3. For example, social status questions were also included in the survey, which is a survey practice that confirms participation.
The diversity of individuals surveyed allowed the research paper to have a strong opinion on the most optimal scenario, created by different individuals in-. However, only individuals interested in the research study were selected for the survey; thus, the survey included a limited number of only 216 individuals. Furthermore, the survey results are not intended to represent all homeowners in the city of Abu Dhabi, but rather to display a unified perspective that has the potential to be implemented in the near future by homeowners.
Level of Interest in Buying and Implanting Solar Panels to Generate Electricity (%)
Level of Interest in Buying and Implanting Solar Panels to Generate Electricity (%)
Conclusions
This study reiterates the crucial importance of exploring different scenarios for homeowners in Abu Dhabi to own and use solar panels, as awareness of sustainable energy use in the country continues to grow. However, most of the electricity generated in the city of Abu Dhabi depends on the combustion of natural gas, which has several drawbacks such as durability and pollution. It further explores different possible scenarios for independent solar energy production at home, along with showing sustainability risks and addressing the level of social acceptance of local residents to install solar panels on their houses.
In addition, the study reveals public expectations and government policy regarding the implantation of solar panels for the government of Abu Dhabi. Furthermore, the survey results and discussion confirm the high public interest and awareness of solar energy. Based on the surveys of the residents of Abu Dhabi city, the most preferred scenario considered suitable by homeowners is financial support and guidance from the authoritative parties of water and electricity in the city.
The majority of respondents are interested in general environmental issues such as pollution and global warming. The majority of respondents believe that increasing public knowledge of solar energy is important to develop new solar energy policies in Abu Dhabi. The majority of respondents suggest that knowing the correct information about solar materials is important in deciding on the purchase and installation of solar panels, while others suggest that the initial cost is most important.
Current solar policy worldwide indicates that there is room for improvement in the solar energy sector. The importance of solar research in research and development centers is emphasized to further analyze and develop new ways of utilizing solar energy. Therefore, approval from the Institutional Review Board of Abu Dhabi University was provided on 19 September 2022.
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