Author(s): Rahaf A Alsuhemi, Shahad M Alsaedi, Soha M Zarbah, Hind Bitar & Bahjat Fakieh
The residential sector is one of the most energy-consuming sectors in Saudi Arabia. As the issue arose, the government of Saudi Arabia realized the possible negative consequences and started to set plans to empower alternative clean energy sources. Solar energy could be one of the most efficient types of renewable energy production in Saudi Arabia due to its geographical nature. Despite this, homeowners in Saudi Arabia need assistance to decide on the adoption of the solar system as an energy source; this is due to their lack of knowledge of the factors that can affect the solar energy system. This fact became evident in the actual number of solar energy users, which is no more than 1.6%. This research paper aims to investigate the factors that affect homeowners' decisions to switch to solar energy in Saudi Arabia. From 418 homeowners' responses, the analysis revealed that the most significant factors affecting the consumption bill are the house age and area, the number of rooms and residents per house, household income, and the number of refrigerators, heaters, and air conditioners. These factors are then used to develop a framework that would help individuals decide whether to use solar energy or to stay and use traditional electrical power.