Psychological and contextual determinants of clean energy technology adoption

Adoption of clean energy technologies by consumers is critical for meeting climate targets, yet uptake remains limited, despite advances in technology and supportive policies. This Review examines the psychological and contextual factors that shape consumer adoption of high-impact clean energy technologies, with a focus on electric vehicles, photovoltaic systems, heat pumps and battery storage. Psychological drivers — including cognitive evaluations, motivations and social influences — and contextual conditions — including socio-economic realities, infrastructure availability and policy environments — influence adoption decisions. Structural and psychological behaviour change interventions, ranging from financial incentives to informational campaigns, can effectively target the identified determinants and promote technology uptake. On the basis of this synthesis, we offer actionable recommendations for policymakers, marketers, community planners and organizations to design interventions that accelerate the transition to clean energy technologies.