Rooftop distributed photovoltaic development under the ”Whole-county promotion mode”: Based on farmers’ self-investment

Rural China possesses abundant rooftop resources, making the development of rooftop distributed photovoltaics (RDPV) crucial for achieving national carbon neutrality goals. Under the "Whole-county promotion mode", self-investment by farmers has become a key financing channel. Based on a survey of 367 rural households in Shandong Province, this study combines econometric analysis and game theory simulations to explore the factors influencing farmers' willingness to invest in self-built RDPV systems. The results show that economic returns, environmental awareness, household characteristics, and rooftop conditions significantly affect their investment decisions. The findings highlight the importance of enhancing project profitability, providing financial support, and improving farmers' cognition through policy interventions. This research offers theoretical insights into renewable energy adoption behavior and practical implications for accelerating rural PV deployment under low-carbon strategies. • Self-investment by farmers has become a important financing channel under the "Whole-county promotion mode". • Economic benefits are the primary factors for farmers to self-invest rooftop photovoltaics. • Some non-market factors need to be given attention to improve farmers' willingness.