How Are Business Owners' Media Habits and Brand Perceptions Shaping Solar Adoption in India?
BAV Adaptation Study
Objective
This study aimed to build a genuine understanding of how business owners think about solar technology — what they know, how they consume media, how they perceive different brands, how community engagement factors in, and what actually drives their decisions. We wanted to explore how deep the technical understanding actually runs among MSME owners, identify which information channels they trust most, and understand how much community ties and brand reputation influence their choices. We also looked at what's pushing adoption forward and what's holding it back — perceptions around quality, cost, and how much certification actually matters to buyers. The findings were meant to help solar companies and policymakers understand market dynamics, customer preferences, and adoption barriers across different regions, with a focus on MSME owners with significant electricity consumption — the goal being sharper product positioning, better marketing, and more effective policy design to accelerate solar uptake in emerging markets.
Business Challenge
Solar adoption among MSMEs is genuinely clouded by uncertainty — perceptions of product quality vary widely, installation costs run high, and awareness of technical and certification standards is limited. A lot of business owners still see solar as suited only to low-power use cases, and they worry about battery costs, weather sensitivity, and whether service providers can actually be relied on. On top of that, there's no consistent understanding of certifications like ISO and TUV, which creates real trust gaps, and fragmented media habits make it hard for companies to reach the right audience effectively. Together, these factors limit how much growth the market can realize, cap the perceived value of solar investment, and slow the broader push toward sustainable energy. Regional differences in awareness, community engagement, and expo participation only add to the complexity of building an effective market penetration strategy.
How We Did It
This was a qualitative study built around semi-structured interviews with 147 MSME owners across key regional markets, using purposive and stratified sampling to capture a genuinely diverse sector mix. Interviews were conducted in person, guided by an open-ended questionnaire designed to draw out knowledge levels, media habits, brand perception, and how decisions actually get made. We applied thematic analysis to the transcripts, coding for recurring patterns and themes. To add another layer of depth, we used 6Wresearch's Power BI platform to build interactive dashboards showing regional variation and key metrics in real time, and we drew on 6Wresearch's expert network through 6WForum to validate qualitative findings against real stakeholder perspective. The whole workflow of qualitative coding, to trend identification, to interpretation of community and media behavior gave us a really nuanced picture of where regional differences and adoption barriers actually sit. 6WSurveyIQ supported survey management throughout, keeping data quality and respondent engagement consistent.
Key Findings
- 96% of respondents are aware of solar solutions, with high familiarity in regions like Pune, Nagpur, and Aurangabad, primarily through TV, newspapers, and internet sources.
- Business owners perceive solar energy as a means to reduce electricity costs and support environmental sustainability, with many adopting solar heaters and panels in Maharashtra.
- YouTube and Instagram are the dominant media platforms for knowledge and entertainment, while traditional media like TV and newspapers remain influential, especially among older demographics.
- Community engagement relies heavily on referrals, trade shows, and collaborations with platforms like IndiaMart, with regional expos playing a crucial role in networking.
- Brand perception favors Tata Power and Adani Solar, noted for their project execution and reputation, though local brands like Jain Solar and HV Solar are also recognized for quick installations and responsiveness.
- Dissatisfaction with service support duration (average 6 months) and issue resolution time (around 4 months) underscores the need for improved after-sales support.
- Cost and quality are the primary criteria for brand selection, with a significant focus on certifications like ISO, though awareness of TUV remains limited.
- High electricity bills and weather sensitivity are major barriers to solar adoption, with respondents expecting a 3-4 year ROI and emphasizing the importance of cost-effective, high-storage solutions.
Findings
Research Indicates that awareness turned out to be much higher than you might expect — 96% of MSME respondents across Maharashtra said they were familiar with solar devices like panels, inverters and batteries. Most of that awareness traces back to traditional media — TV, newspapers, billboards — though digital channels like YouTube and general internet searches are playing a growing role too. That said, awareness doesn't mean understanding. A lot of business owners still think solar can only handle low-power applications and can't really support heavier machinery, which is a misconception that's clearly holding adoption back. Maharashtra specifically has seen a jump in solar heater usage, and people there generally view solar positively — as something that saves money and is good for the environment. But the usual barriers are still there: high installation and maintenance costs, concerns about weather affecting performance, and honestly just not knowing much about certification standards like TUV. One interesting pattern that came out of the study — younger business owners lean toward social media and digital content for information, while older owners still trust traditional media more. Using 6Wresearch's Power BI platform, we were able to break this down regionally in real time, and it turned out Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad have the highest awareness levels overall — but even there, people are running into issues with after-sales support and still hold onto some doubts about what these systems can actually do, which points to a real need for both education and better service.
When it comes to actually deciding on solar, MSMEs care most about cost-effectiveness and how fast they'll see a return — most expect their investment to pay off within 3 to 4 years. And the decision itself doesn't happen in a vacuum — peer recommendations, online reviews, and conversations at trade shows or in digital forums carry a lot of weight. Brand-wise, Tata Power and Adani Solar come up often, mostly because of their track record and reputation for actually executing projects well, though business owners aren't closed off to smaller or newer brands either, as long as they can prove they're reliable and competitively priced. One thing that stood out — a fair number of respondents weren't happy with after-sales support, and it's easy to see why: issues are taking an average of four months to resolve, and support windows run around six months, which naturally chips away at trust. Overall, the approach people take is pretty practical — quality, certification (ISO in particular), and affordability are what really move the needle on brand choice. Interestingly, even though people know certifications exist, most don't actually understand what TUV standards mean in practice, which points to a gap that could be closed with some straightforward education. Regionally, the Power BI data showed that areas with more media engagement and community involvement tend to have stronger awareness, but they're still dealing with the same service and weather-resilience issues everyone else is. Put together, this suggests that fixing after-sales support, building awareness around certifications, and offering solutions that are affordable with better storage capacity could genuinely speed up solar adoption among MSMEs.
Business Impact
The insights derived from this research provide strategic guidance for solar industry stakeholders and policymakers aiming to accelerate MSME adoption of solar solutions. Recognizing that 96% of business owners already know solar exists — awareness isn't the problem, follow-through is. Companies need to fix after-sales support and clear up misconceptions around system capacity and weather performance, especially since the average issue right now takes four months to resolve, which is far too long. Tata Power and Adani Solar clearly have the trust advantage, so other brands will need to work harder on reputation, maybe by showcasing real project success stories rather than just marketing claims. Interestingly, most people know ISO certification but barely know what TUV standards even mean, so there's a real gap to close through consumer education. Regionally, Maharashtra — especially Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad — already shows strong awareness, but what's missing is product fit: cost-effective systems, better storage, and weather resilience tailored to local conditions. That tells manufacturers exactly where to refine their offerings and how to price and market by region. Peer recommendations and community word-of-mouth also came up as major decision drivers, which means digital forums and local expos are probably worth more marketing spend than they're currently getting. Put together, this points to one clear direction: reliable, affordable, well-engineered solar solutions paired with genuine education efforts are what's going to unlock this market's real potential.
