From Expansion to Consolidation: Socio-Spatial Contagion Dynamics in Off-Grid PV Adoption

TL;DR

This study investigates socio-spatial contagion in off-grid PV adoption, revealing that clustering and consolidation dynamics significantly influence adoption rates and diffusion patterns over time.

Contribution

It introduces a data-driven method using deep learning and remote sensing to empirically analyze socio-spatial contagion in off-grid PV adoption.

Findings

SSC is widespread and varies in intensity across communities.

SSC peaks within 1-2 years of new installations, then weakens.

Early diffusion involves range expansion, later stages show range contraction.

Abstract

In traditional rural societies, where social ties are embedded in physical space, the diffusion of emerging technologies may be amplified through socio-spatial contagion (SSC). Such processes may play a key role in accelerating residential PV adoption in off-grid regions. Yet empirical evidence on SSC in PV adoption remains largely limited to affluent, grid-connected settings, while off-grid regions often lack systematic installation records. To address these gaps, we use a deep learning segmentation model to extract PV installations from a decade-long series of remote sensing imagery across 507 off-grid settlement clusters (hereafter, communities). This enables data-driven spatio-temporal point pattern inference of SSC in data-scarce contexts. SSC is quantified through the range and intensity of clustering of new installations around prior adopters, and the dynamics of these dimensions are linked to adoption outcomes. We found that SSC is nearly ubiquitous, often spanning most of the community's spatial extent, while exhibiting substantial heterogeneity in intensity. Although SSC intensifies over time, its effects remain temporally concentrated, peaking within 1 to 2 years of nearby installations and weakening thereafter. SSC intensity is positively associated with adoption rates in both cross-sectional and temporal analyses. However, the relationship between SSC range and adoption changes over time - in early diffusion phases, adoption growth is associated with range expansion, whereas in later phases it is associated with range contraction. This shift reflects a transition from clustering to consolidation of installations. These findings highlight the potential of seeding interventions to accelerate PV diffusion in off-grid regions.