Adopters in ecologies of intermediation: evaluating support for residential solar PV adoption

Journal article, 2026

Intermediation plays an important role in facilitating adoption of low-carbon technologies, yet less is known about how adopters experience and evaluate intermediation support within complex ecologies of intermediation. This paper examines how specific support attributes shape adopters’ perceived value and satisfaction with intermediation support in residential solar PV adoption in Sweden. Drawing on marketing research, intermediation is conceptualized as a service to adopters. Using structural equation modelling on survey data from 16,888 solar PV adopters, the analysis shows that while several attributes matter for both public and private intermediaries, their relative importance differs. Public intermediaries are valued for what type of support they provide, whereas private intermediaries are more valued for how the support is delivered. These findings introduce a demand-side perspective on ecologies of intermediation and highlight the role of differentiated and complementary intermediation to support both individual decision-making and maintaining momentum for adoption in mature transition contexts.