Heliyon 10 (2024) e30158

Contents lists available at ScienceDirect

Heliyon
journal homepage: www.cell.com/heliyon

Research article

Assessing the drivers and solutions of green innovation influencing

the adoption of renewable energy technologies
Yasir Ahmed Solangi a, Rakan Alyamani a, Cosimo Magazzino b, *
a
Renewable Energy Lab, College of Engineering, Prince Sultan University, Riyadh, 11586, Saudi Arabia
b
Department of Political Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: The degradation of the environment in China is accelerating along with economic expansion.
Green innovation Adoption of renewable energy technologies (RETs) is crucial for reducing the adverse impacts of
Economic growth economic growth on the environment and fostering sustainable development. This study attempts
Renewable energy technologies
to identify the green innovation drivers and sub-drivers that affect the adoption of RETs in China
Sustainable development
and provide solutions for boosting their implementation. The study prioritized the drivers, sub-
AHP
SAW drivers, and strategies of green innovation by combining the Analytical Hierarchy Process
(AHP) and Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) methods. In the study, the triple bottom line (TBL)
approach has been used to determine the economic, societal, and environmental driving forces.
The study also suggests strategies for encouraging the use of RETs. The results of the AHP method
revealed that economics is the most crucial driver, with a weight of 0.376, followed by envi­
ronmental (0.332), and social (0.291) drivers. The findings of the SAW method indicated that
government green innovation initiatives, consumer initiatives, and industry initiatives are the
most significant strategies for deploying RETs in China. This study has important theoretical and
practical ramifications for encouraging China to adopt RETs. The suggested approaches can help
researchers, business professionals, and policymakers promote sustainable development in China.

1. Introduction

Sustainable development has emerged as a global development paradigm [1]. Since the start of the twenty-first century, green
technology innovation has been a crucial component of the global industrial revolution and technical competitiveness [2,3]. Around
the world, numerous countries have created policies to promote innovation in green technology. One of the top economies in the
world, China places a strong emphasis on green innovation to address the problems brought on by climate change and global warming.
Climate change is one of the biggest worldwide issues, affecting ecosystems, economy, and society [4]. Climate change, air pollution,
and resource depletion are threatening sustainable development worldwide. Moreover, one of the main global contributors to
greenhouse gases (GHGs) is CO2 emissions, which has accelerated global warming [5]. In order to achieve sustainable economic and
social growth, natural resources and environmental circumstances have a significant impact on any country’s development [6]. China
has progressed toward ecologically sustainable growth through legislation, standards, and investments to decrease pollution, conserve
resources, and foster green innovation. It basically involves developing and spreading renewable energy technology (RETs), products,

* Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: yasir.solangi86@hotmail.com, ysolangi@psu.edu.sa (Y.A. Solangi), ralyamani@psu.edu.sa (R. Alyamani), cosimo.magazzino@
uniroma3.it (C. Magazzino).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30158
Received 24 January 2024; Received in revised form 13 April 2024; Accepted 21 April 2024
Available online 24 April 2024
2405-8440/© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Y.A. Solangi et al. Heliyon 10 (2024) e30158

and services that reduce environmental consequences and boost economic growth and social welfare [7,8]. Green innovation is seen as
a significant driver of sustainable development in China since it may alleviate environmental issues and create new economic op­
portunities [9]. Moreover, green innovation relies on RETs to decrease pollution, save resources, and promote sustainable
development.
There is an extensive empirical literature on the green innovation, its determinants, and impacts on climate change mitigation and
adaptation efforts and sustainable development in China. For instance Ref. [2], explore how does government policy affects Green
Technology Innovation (GTI) in China. The study concludes heterogeneous direct and indirect impacts government policies on GTI.
Another study [10] determine that technological level and industrial structure directly affect carbon emission in Chinese provinces. In
comprehensive planning cities, a spatial self-correlation study of resource-based cities shows that government assistance and influ­
encing variables like industrial structure and economic growth favor green innovation. Environmental rules, on the other hand, have a
negative influence and stifle urban green innovation. As a result, it is critical to strike a balance between these elements when
developing policies to support green innovation in resource-constrained communities [11]. find inertial development and
self-reinforcing mechanism among digitalization, technological innovation and green economic development (GED). The study
explored positive promotion impact of digitalization on GED. Whereas, the impact of technological innovation on latter is insignificant.
Moreover, the study also found positive impact of GED on technological innovation in short run. However, this impact gradually
declines to zero in the long run [12]. evaluate the link between green innovation, resource efficiency and sustainable growth in E7

Table 1
Drivers and Sub-drivers of green innovation.
Driver Sub-driver Brief description Reference

Economic drivers (A) Cost-effectiveness (A- It refers to the ability of an RETs to provide a cost-effective solution compared to outdated [21–25]
1) energy technologies. In this regard, the expected financial returns of the investment in the
technology, the costs associated with the use and maintenance of the technology and the costs
associated with the inputs or materials required to produce the technology are important
determinants of green innovation.
Financial incentives Refers to government programs or incentives that fund RET development and adoption. [22,23,26,
(A-2) Technology development and use are supported by government subsidies and tax incentives. 27]
Besides, green financing also boosts green innovation.
Competitive It refers to the ability of a company to gain a competitive edge in the market by adopting [19,22,23]
advantage (A-3) RETs. Furthermore, the green innovation enables the companies to differentiate their
products and introduce green products.
Access to funding (A- The governments are allocating the financial resources support the development and [27–30]
4) adoption of RETs. The policies are also devised to enable the ability to access investment from
venture capitalists or other investors to support the development and adoption of the
technology.
Social drivers (B) Public awareness (B- It refers to the level of knowledge and understanding of environmental issues among the [24,25,31]
1) general public. In this regard, the knowledge of environmental issues and their impact on
their health impacts the public behavior to demand for eco-friendlier products and clean
environment.
Social responsibility The level of social responsibility that companies and individuals feel towards the environment [25,32,33]
(B-2) and society is also one of the social drivers to stimulate green innovation. In this regard,
corporate social responsibility shapes the culture of innovation. Furthermore, companies and
individuals take into account the ethical considerations while making decisions about the
adoption of RETs.
Consumer preferences The consumers’ preferences regarding the product features and design, convenience and ease [25,28,34]
(B-3) of use of eco-friendly products also encourage the green innovation in the economy.
Furthermore, the product quality and performance also affect the consumer behavior to
demand for eco-friendly product.
Stakeholder It refers to the level of engagement and collaboration with stakeholders such as NGOs, civil [35,36]
engagement (B-4) society groups, and local communities. The extent to which companies collaborate with NGOs
and civil society groups to address environmental issues, communication and engagement
with local communities, and participation in industry associations that promote RETs may
also drive green innovation.
Environmental Air pollution (C-1) The negative impacts of air pollution on the environment and public health. The ability of [4,28,37]
drivers (C) RETs to reduce emissions of air pollutants, enabling the use of alternative energy sources to
reduce dependence on fossil fuels and reduce air pollution are the major drivers of green
innovation.
Resource depletion (C- It refers to the depletion of natural resources and the need to promote resource efficiency. [12,38,39]
2) Since the green innovation provides the opportunities to use resources of clean energy,
purification of water, and natural resource conservation, such benefits of the former provide
strong reasons to believe that it is should be promoted to ensure sustainability.
Climate change (C-3) It refers to the negative impacts of climate change on the environment and society. Firms are [19,39]
under pressure to decrease their carbon footprints due to various factors such as the rise in
global warming, climate change, and demands from stakeholders including investors,
employees, and network partners.
Waste management It refers to the management of waste and the need to promote circular economy. Green [40,41]
(C-4) technology and innovation has been making possible the recycling and reusing waste
materials.

2
Y.A. Solangi et al. Heliyon 10 (2024) e30158

economies including China. The study finds positive association between green innovation and resource efficiency. The findings of
[13] show a substantial geographical clustering pattern of green technology innovation level and carbon intensity across Chinese
regions. GTI and carbon intensity in a local area have an Inverted-U shape, with low levels of green technology innovation tending to
promote carbon emissions. However, as levels of green technology innovation increase to a certain threshold, this relationship shifts to
an inhibiting effect on carbon emissions. The previous study examined renewable energy sustainability in 27 EU nations using a
composite assessment approach [14]. The model used the DPSIR, RAGA, projection pursuit, and fuzzy clustering iteration. The model
considers energy, economy, society, and environment. The findings indicated that Denmark and Sweden have the most sustainable
energy in the EU. Besides, another related study, the authors evaluated the potential of China’s shale gas industry for sustainable
development [15]. The outcome indicated that core technological capability is the biggest sustainable development challenge. Similar
study, conducted the empirical analysis of Sichuan and Chongqing to analyze the sustainability of shale gas industry [16]. In the earlier
work, the scholars focused on the quantitative assessment of renewable energy in several European countries during 2007–2016 [17].
The Germany, France, and Italy outperformed than other European countries.
Green innovation is essential to attaining sustainable development and tackling environmental issues. However, RETs must be used
to realize the benefits of green innovation. The adoption of such technologies is influenced by various factors that impact the decision-
making processes of many stakeholders, including governments, industry, civil society, and consumers. As indicated by its many patent
filings and institutional policies aiming to raise green technology innovation levels, China is one of the top countries in green tech­
nology innovation [2,18]. RET adoption remains challenging due to policy complexity, delay, executive force, and policy initiative
success. Solving this problem requires investigating RET adoption’s green innovation drivers. Addressing drivers’ priorities first assists
in enhancing green technologies and environmental sustainability. Further research is required to determine how regulations affect
RET adoption in China and the drivers of green innovation. It can assist determine which policies work best to promote green tech­
nology in China’s industries and regions.
The primary focus of current study is to examine the drivers of green innovation influencing the adoption of RETs in China based on
the theoretical Triple Bottom Line (environmental, social, and economic factors). A study by Ref. [19] attempted to examine the
drivers of green innovation based on the TBL foundations using NARDL on quarterly data from Pakistan economy. Since it is important
to examine the association between the TBL and green innovation [20], the current study examine the drivers of green innovation to
adopt RETs in the perspective of theoretical ground provided by TBL. This study prioritizes the economic, social, and environmental
green innovation drivers of RET adoption in China. The study also highlights green innovation strategies that influence RET adoption.
Therefore, to achieve these objectives, the study integrates multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) methodologies i.e. Analytical
Hierarchical Process (AHP) and Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) to asses prioritize the drivers of green innovation and strategies to
implement RETs in China.

2. Drivers and strategies of green innovation for RETs in China

2.1. Drivers and sub-drivers of green innovation

The adoption of green innovation and RETs are becoming increasingly important in order to address environmental issues such as
pollution, resource depletion, and climate change. The criteria or elements that affect adopting RETs are referred to as drivers. In the
study, the various key drivers and sub-drivers of green innovation are identified for further assessment. The drivers and sub-drivers of
green innovation for RETs in China are summarized in Table 1.
The analysis of the TBL approach i.e., economic, social, and environmental drivers of green innovation and their sub-drivers would
assist policymakers and industry practitioners identify viable solutions to the constraints that impede the adoption of RETs and
encourage long-term growth in China.

Fig. 1. The proposed strategies for the implementation of RETs.

3
Y.A. Solangi et al. Heliyon 10 (2024) e30158

2.2. Strategies to stimulate adoption of RETs

In this study, the several key strategies are proposed for the sustainable adoption of RETs and foster green innovation in China. The
government of China has already implemented specific policy plans to promote the zero-carbon in the country, although the further
regulations are required to effectively adopt green practices. Fig. 1 displays the identified vital strategies of this study.
The following four have been identified as significant strategies to implement RETs in China.

2.2.1. Government green innovation initiatives to promote RETs adoption (FS1)

To promote RET adoption, the Chinese government should establish green innovation policies. The government can highlight
policies and tactics to persuade business decision-makers to consider green technology innovation [2,42]. The government should
implement RETs regulations and standards. For its adoption, the country can provide subsidies, financial incentives, and tax ex­
emptions. Moreover, the provision of enabling infrastructure for RET adoption can help achieve green technology economic goals.

2.2.2. Industry initiatives to stimulate adoption of RETs (FS2)

Industrial businesses need to recognize the value of green innovation and how RETs may help maintain development and provide
them a competitive edge [43,44]. Industries can work with stakeholders and other firms to promote RETs since cost-effectiveness and
efficiency can be improved by R&D.

2.2.3. Civil society initiatives to stimulate adoption of RETs (FS3)

The air pollution and climate change are major environmental challenges in China. These issues are addressed by government
programs that support green growth and a low-carbon transition. Therefore, the NGOs, social companies, and grassroots actions may
also help implement RETs [45]. These programs can raise awareness, mobilize social resources, provide technical assistance, and
increase demand for eco-friendly products and services.

2.2.4. Consumer initiatives to stimulate adoption of RETs (FS4)

Strategy is essential for China’s RET adoption and sustainable growth. Sustainable lifestyles and green activities encourage
acceptance of these technologies, while green product and service demand drives innovation and investment. So, the government,
society, and consumers must effort collectively to foster the adoption of these technologies in the country.

3. Methodology

The MCDA based decision-making framework has been adopted to analyze the problem of this study. Thus, the AHP and SAW
methods are utilized to assess and rank the drivers, sub-drivers, and strategies of green innovation for implementing RETs in China. The
AHP method is used to evaluate the drivers and sub-drivers of green innovation. Later, the SAW method is used to rank the most

Fig. 2. The hierarchical-based methodology.

4
Y.A. Solangi et al. Heliyon 10 (2024) e30158

significant strategies for adopting RETs. Fig. 2 shows the decision-making framework of this study.

3.1. AHP method

The AHP method was developed by Saaty in 1970s [46]. The AHP is a transparent approach, which allows decision to incorporate
their preferences and judgments into the decision-making process [47]. This approach is a simple and effective tool for handling
complicated situations containing both objective and subjective assessments. This method employed when several decision-makers
must select from a wide range of contradictory options while dealing with ambiguity and certainty. AHP is widely used method in
various fields such as healthcare [48], mining [49], supply chain [50], agriculture [51], and education [52]. This approach is
hierarchical-based that assess the various criteria and sub-criteria using pairwise comparison matrix and arrive at well-suited decision
[53]. Therefore, the pairwise comparison matrix are used to determine the relative importance of each criterion over other criterion.
The AHP method involves the following steps [54].
Step 1. Identify criteria and sub-criteria
Step 2. Develop a hierarchical-based decision-making structure.
Step 3. Develop pair-wise comparisons matrix. Table 2 shows the Saaty’s 1–9 points scale.
Step 4. Compute the Consistency Index (CI):
In this step, CI can be used to measure the consistency of the pair-wise comparison of the matrix. CI can be presented as [55].
λmax − n
CI = (1)
n− 1

here λmax is the eigenvalue and n is the no. of main criteria

Step 5. Computing the Consistency Ratio (CR)

CI
CR = (2)
RI

Where RI is the random consistency index, which is presented in Table 3. During the pair-wise comparison, the CR must be within the
limit of 0.1; if it exceeds above 0.1, then the results could be inconsistent [56].

3.2. SAW method

The SAW method enables decision-makers to examine and compare alternatives using multiple criteria. The SAW method assigns a
weight to each criterion based on its importance and scores each alternative based on its performance [57]. This purpose of this method
is to find the sum of the weighted performance rating for each alternative on all attributes [58]. This method has been used in various
disciplines such as energy [59], supply chain [60], and education [61]. Table 4 provides the scale of attributes used in the study.
The SAW method involves the following steps [62]:
Step 1. Construct the decision matrix, including n decision criteria:
⎛ ⎞
a11 a12 ⋯ a1n
⎜ a21 a22 ⋯ a2n ⎟ [ ]
A=⎜⎝ ⋮
⎟ = aij (3)
⋮ ⋯ ⋮ ⎠ m×n

am1 am2 ⋯ amn

where aij is the value of alternative i with respect to decision criterion j.

Step 2. Normalize the decision matrix by the following equations:
1
μij = ( )− f2 , i = 1, 2, …, m, j = 1, 2, …n (4)
aij
1+ f1

Table 2
Saaty’s 1–9 points scale.
Numerical value Description

1 Equal importance
3 Moderate importance
5 Strong importance
7 Very strong importance
9 Absolute importance
2,4,6,8 Intermediate values

5
Y.A. Solangi et al. Heliyon 10 (2024) e30158

Table 3
Random consistency index.
n RI

1 0.00
2 0.00
3 0.058
4 0.90
5 1.12
6 1.24
7 1.32
8 1.41
9 1.45
10 1.49

Table 4
Attribute scale.
Number Attribute

1 Very Low
3 Low
5 Medium
7 High
9 Very High

1
μij = ( )f2 , i = 1, 2, …, m, j = 1, 2, …, n (5)
aij
1+ f1

Step 3. Determine weights of decision criteria by subjective or objective weighting methods. The resulting weight vector would be
as follows:
W = [w1 , w2 , …, wn ] (6)

where n is the number of decision criteria or evidence maps.

Step 4. Compute significance degree of each alternative by the following equation:
∑
m
Si = wj μij , i = 1, 2, …, m (7)
i=1

In the study five experts were consulted to analyze the decision making. The consulted experts were well-skilled and professional
consists of environmental analyst, academia, economic analyst, and industry practitioner. All these experts were contacted via
webmail and they were asked to provide their useful insights in determining the drivers, sub-drivers, and strategies for promote green
innovation and for adoption of RETs.

4. Results and discussion

In this research, the AHP and SAW methods has been used to assess and prioritize the drivers and strategies of green innovation for
implementing the RETs in China. Therefore, in the subsequent sub-sections, the detailed findings are provided and discussed.

4.1. Ranking of drivers using AHP method

Table 5 shows the ranking of main-drivers of green innovation. The findings indicated that, economic (A) is the most influential in
driving the adoption of RETs for green innovation in China, followed by environmental (C) and social drivers (B), respectively. This
indicates that economic benefits such as cost savings, revenue generation, and market competitiveness are the primary motivation for

Table 5
The ranking of drivers for promoting the adoption of RETs.
Drivers Weight Rank

Economic (A) 0.376 1

Social (B) 0.291 3
Environmental (C) 0.332 2

6
Y.A. Solangi et al. Heliyon 10 (2024) e30158

firms to adopt green technologies, while environmental and social benefits are also considered important factors. Therefore,
encouraging the widespread implementation of RETs in diverse economic sectors require laws and programs that offer financial in­
centives and support for green innovation.

4.2. Results of sub-drivers using AHP method

4.2.1. Prioritization of economic sub-drivers

Fig. 3 shows the final ranking of economic sub-drivers. The findings show that the financial incentives (A-2) are the most significant
sub-driver. It is because due to the fact that these factors offer the innovators direct and immediate advantages and lower the risks and
uncertainties of green innovation. Financial incentives come in many shapes and sizes, including subsidies, tax credits, grants, loans,
and awards. The second most significant sub-driver is a competitive advantage (A-3), which represents the potential and long-term
advantages that green innovation may provide innovators regarding market share, reputation, consumer loyalty, distinctiveness, or
quality [19,22,23]. Offering superior or distinctive goods and services that satisfy consumers’ requirements and expectations
regarding the environment, society, and culture can give businesses a competitive edge. The third most significant sub-driver is
cost-effectiveness (A-1), measures green innovation’s efficacy and financial viability. Reduced manufacturing, operation, mainte­
nance, or disposal costs of the goods or services and higher revenues from sales, licensing, or royalties can increase cost-effectiveness.
Regulations, standards, or pricing are outside influences that can impact cost-effectiveness. The least significant sub-driver is access to
funds (A-4) [28,29], which refers to the availability and accessibility of financial resources for green innovation. Thus, the access to
finance may be impacted by the type and stage of innovation, the scale of the inventor, the sector, the sources and qualifying standards
for funding, or the institutional and legal frameworks.

4.2.2. Prioritization of social sub-drivers

Fig. 4 displays the final ranking of social sub-drivers. The rankings of the sub-drivers of social drivers of green innovation show that
stakeholder participation (B-4) is the most crucial sub-driver, followed by consumer preferences (B-3), public awareness (B-1), and
social responsibility (B-2). Understanding stakeholders’ concerns and objectives through stakeholder engagement allows organiza­
tions to develop environmentally sustainable products and services [35,36]. Because it increases customer demand for environmen­
tally friendly products and services, public education is essential. Companies may use a variety of tactics to inform and educate the
public about the benefits of sustainability, including social media campaigns and advertising. Consumer preferences, which control the
demand for eco-friendly products and services, are essential for fostering green innovation. Businesses may develop eco-friendly goods
that satisfy the requirements and tastes of their customers by researching consumer preferences [25,28,34]. Social responsibility,
which demands firms accept responsibility for their influence on the environment and society, is another essential sub-driver of green
innovation [25,32]. It may require reducing waste, environmental effect, and sustainable methods. Public awareness affects customer
demand for eco-friendly products and services [24,25]. Therefore, companies may educate consumers about sustainability through
social media and advertising.

4.2.3. Prioritization of environmental sub-drivers

Fig. 5 depicts the final ranking of environmental sub-drivers. Based on their significance for attaining sustainable development, the
sub-drivers of environmental drivers of green innovation were ranked. The findings indicate that the most crucial sub-driver is climate
change (C-3), which is then followed by resource depletion (C-2), air pollution (C-1), and waste management (C-4). The TBL theo­
retical framework [63], empirical data from various industries and nations, and the possible benefits and downsides of green inno­
vation for each sub-driver may be used to analyze these rankings. The TBL is a decision-making approach that considers
environmental, social, and economic issues. According to the rankings, tackling climate change is critical for attaining environmental
sustainability, whereas resource depletion need to be addressed for economic sustainability. Furthermore, as they considerably in­
fluence human health and well-being, air pollution and waste management are crucial for attaining social sustainability [40].
Empirical facts from many industries and regions also support these rankings. For example, the transportation industry contributes
heavily to climate change [10], and the development of electric cars has the potential to cut GHG emissions.

Fig. 3. The ranking of economic sub-drivers.

7
Y.A. Solangi et al. Heliyon 10 (2024) e30158

Fig. 4. The ranking of social sub-drivers.

Fig. 5. The ranking of environmental sub-drivers.

Moreover, addressing air pollution may require stricter legislation and improved enforcement [37], whereas trash management
may require more extensive public education and behavior change. Finally, the rankings of environmental drivers of green innovation
sub-drivers give a valuable framework for evaluating the relative relevance of each sub-driver in attaining sustainable development.
According to the findings, climate change is the most crucial sub-driver of green innovation since it substantially challenges global
sustainability. By creating renewable energy sources, increasing energy efficiency, and adopting carbon capture and storage tech­
nology, green innovation can assist in alleviating the harmful effects of climate change [11,43,64–68]. Another key driver of green
innovation is resource depletion, which emphasizes the need to use natural resources more effectively and sustainably. Green inno­
vation enhances resource efficiency [12] by inventing goods that consume fewer resources, using renewable resources, and imple­
menting circular economy models. Air pollution is a critical environmental and public health concern that may be addressed through
green innovation by creating clean energy and transportation technologies, imposing emission limits, and encouraging sustainable
urban planning [69]. Despite receiving the lowest ranking, waste management is nevertheless essential for achieving environmental
sustainability since it lowers waste production, promotes recycling and composting, and develops cutting-edge waste treatment
technologies.

4.3. Prioritization of strategies using SAW method

The SAW approach effectively prioritizes various strategies based on their relative value for a particular goal. The goal in this
situation is to encourage the use of RETs in China. Table 6 present the final ranking of four feasible strategies for adoption of RETs in
China.
According to the findings, the government green innovation initiatives (FS1) are ranked first, followed by consumer initiatives
(FS4), industry initiatives (FS2), and civil society initiatives (FS3). This ranking indicates that the government may have a major
impact on the market and plays a crucial role in promoting the usage of RETs in China through its policies and activities. China has
instituted institutional mechanisms to increase the levels of green technology innovation and has recently placed a greater emphasis on

Table 6
The final ranking value of strategies promoting the adoption of RETs.
Strategy Value Rank

Government green innovation initiatives (FS1) 0.974 1

Industry initiatives (FS2) 0.613 3
Civil society initiatives (FS3) 0.521 4
Consumer initiatives (FS4) 0.918 2

8
Y.A. Solangi et al. Heliyon 10 (2024) e30158

the role that innovation in green technologies plays in achieving sustainability. The influence of policies on green technology inno­
vation, on the other hand, varies depending on their number, efficacy, and execution [18].
The government can use RET subsidies, tax exemptions, and limits, among other policy measures, to encourage people and cor­
porations to use RETs. For instance, the government can offer tax benefits to people who install RETs in their houses, or it can subsidize
businesses that make investments in energy-efficient technologies. These laws may improve the environment for the implementation of
RETs and reduce the entrance barriers for environmentally conscious businesses. Governments may provide financial support in the
form of subsidies to encourage RETs. Rather of penalizing polluters for their emissions, subsidies offer compensation for reducing
emissions. Subsidies include things like grants, low-interest loans, tax breaks, and procurement laws. Subsidiaries have been used to
achieve a wide range of goals, such as cleaning up contaminated land, preventing erosion through agricultural grants, lending low-
interest money to small farmers, encouraging land conservation through grants, and funding the recycling of commercial, indus­
trial, and residential products. Subsidies, like taxes, encourage the reduction of emissions but require market action in order to be
eligible [25,70]. Furthermore, the market for green technology products may grow as a result of government measures promoting
corporate responsibility and raising public awareness of ecologically responsible consumption.
Therefore, if there is focused governmental support and a positive industrial development environment, company innovation
ability may be increased in supporting green technology innovation. However, other studies contend that environmental rules may
impede the effectiveness of technological innovation and lower firm productivity, as demonstrated by empirical assessments [2,71]. It
is notable that the subsidy programs by the government may have a "crowding effect," which hinders businesses from developing new
green technologies. However, specific assistance measures have increased the business’s ability to develop new goods. However,
businesses may prioritize the development of new technologies and products that produce economic advantages without more targeted
legislation to boost green technology innovation. It might reduce the vitality of enterprise innovation in fostering the development of
green technologies [72]. Consumer efforts are placed second in significance, indicating the importance of developing public awareness
and fostering sustainable purchasing practices. Businesses can employ a variety of strategies, such eco-labeling and green marketing, to
tell and educate consumers about the benefits of RETs and the ways in which their choices will affect the environment. Customers can
also actively support companies that promote sustainability by endorsing greener goods and services. The importance rankings for
industry and civil society activities are third and fourth, respectively. Business sector initiatives to develop and advance RETs,
including as research and development, technology transfer, and green supply chain management, are examples of industry activity.

5. Conclusion

Using the TBL theoretical framework, which integrates environmental, social, and economic issues, the current study intends to
analyze the drivers of green innovation impacting the adoption of RETs in China. Given the significance of understanding the link
between TBL and green innovation, this research aims to identify and prioritize the economic, social, and environmental drivers of
green innovation that impact the adoption of RETs in China. Furthermore, the study identifies and prioritizes policies and initiatives
that encourage green innovation in implementing RETs. In this regard, this study adopted a MCDA that combines AHP and SAW
techniques to achieve these goals.
The research indicates that economic drivers are the most significant drivers of sustainability, followed by environmental and social
factors. The most important economic sub-drivers for green innovation are financial incentives and competitive advantage. Moreover,
cost-effectiveness and access to funding are other critical economic sub-drivers for green innovation. Policymakers can use this in­
formation to develop effective strategies for promoting green innovation and accelerating the transition to a sustainable economy.
Among the social sub-drivers of green innovation to adopt RETs, stakeholder engagement has been ranked as the most crucial factor.
Consumer preferences, public awareness, and social responsibility have been ranked 2nd, 3rd, and 4th, respectively. Regarding
environmental sub-drivers, the research has identified climate change as the most critical sub-driver for green innovation, followed by
resource depletion, air pollution, and waste management. These findings can help policymakers prioritize their efforts to address these
environmental challenges and promote the adoption of RETs.
Various limitations to this study must be considered. The study focuses solely on adopting RETs in China, with little consideration
given to the worldwide consequences of encouraging green innovation. Future studies should look at the possibility of cross-country
collaborations to enhance global sustainable development. Furthermore, the study does not mention the ethical and societal ramifi­
cations of encouraging RETs. More studies might investigate the ethical and societal aspects of fostering green innovation. In addition,
the research may differ based on the technology or sector under consideration. Future studies might investigate the relative signifi­
cance of the drivers and sub-drivers for various technologies and sectors. Moreover, the limitations and assumptions of the AHP and
SAW methodologies utilized in this study must be acknowledged. Future studies might look into other decision-making techniques to
find effective green innovation strategies. Despite these limitations, this study provides a valuable framework for understanding the
drivers of green innovation and has the potential to contribute to long-term growth.

Availability of data and material

The data will be available on request.

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Yasir Ahmed Solangi: Writing – review & editing, Writing – original draft, Validation, Methodology, Formal analysis, Data

9
Y.A. Solangi et al. Heliyon 10 (2024) e30158

curation, Conceptualization. Rakan Alyamani: Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Validation, Resources. Cosimo Magazzino:
Writing – review & editing, Visualization, Investigation, Funding acquisition.

Declaration of competing interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to
influence the work reported in this paper.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the technical support received from Renewable Energy Lab, Prince Sultan University, Saudi
Arabia.

References

[1] Q. Wang, S. Li, R. Li, Evaluating water resource sustainability in Beijing, China: combining PSR model and matter-element extension method, J. Clean. Prod. 206
(2019) 171–179, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.09.057.
[2] G. Wu, Q. Xu, X. Niu, L. Tao, How does government policy improve green technology innovation: an empirical study in China, Front. Environ. Sci. 9 (2022) 723,
https://doi.org/10.3389/FENVS.2021.799794/BIBTEX.
[3] N. Saqib, Asymmetric linkages between renewable energy, technological innovation, and carbon-dioxide emission in developed economies: non-linear ARDL
analysis, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 29 (2022) 60744–60758, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-20206-0.
[4] W. Ahmed, Q. Tan, G.M. Shaikh, H. Waqas, N.A. Kanasro, S. Ali, Y.A. Solangi, Assessing and prioritizing the climate change policy objectives for sustainable
development in Pakistan, Symmetry (Basel) 12 (2020) 1203, https://doi.org/10.3390/sym12081203.
[5] H. Mahmood, A. ur R. Irshad, M. Tanveer, Do innovation and renewable energy transition play their role in environmental sustainability in Western Europe?
Humanit. Soc. Sci. Commun. 11 (2024) https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-02539-4.
[6] Q. Wang, S. Li, G. He, R. Li, X. Wang, Evaluating sustainability of water-energy-food (WEF) nexus using an improved matter-element extension model: a case
study of China, J. Clean. Prod. 202 (2018) 1097–1106, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.08.213.
[7] N. Saqib, Nexus between the renewable and nonrenewable energy consumption and carbon footprints: evidence from Asian emerging economies, Environ. Sci.
Pollut. Res. 29 (2022) 58326–58340, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-19948-8.
[8] I. Uddin, M. Usman, N. Saqib, M.S.A. Makhdum, The impact of geopolitical risk, governance, technological innovations, energy use, and foreign direct
investment on CO2 emissions in the BRICS region, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 30 (2023) 73714–73729, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-27466-4.
[9] D. Zhang, M. Zheng, G.F. Feng, C.P. Chang, Does an environmental policy bring to green innovation in renewable energy? Renew. Energy 195 (2022)
1113–1124, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2022.06.074.
[10] X. Xu, H. Xu, The driving factors of carbon emissions in China’s transportation sector: a spatial analysis, Front. Energy Res. 9 (2021) 225, https://doi.org/
10.3389/FENRG.2021.664046/BIBTEX.
[11] W. Yang, Q. Chen, Q. Guo, X. Huang, Towards sustainable development: how digitalization, technological innovation, and green economic development interact
with each other, Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 19 (2022), https://doi.org/10.3390/IJERPH191912273.
[12] Y. Sun, P. Gao, W. Tian, W. Guan, Green innovation for resource efficiency and sustainability: empirical analysis and policy, Resour. Policy. 81 (2023) 103369,
https://doi.org/10.1016/J.RESOURPOL.2023.103369.
[13] H. Chen, J. Yi, A. Chen, D. Peng, J. Yang, Green technology innovation and CO2 emission in China: evidence from a spatial-temporal analysis and a nonlinear
spatial durbin model, Energy Pol. 172 (2023), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2022.113338.
[14] Q. Wang, X. Yang, Investigating the sustainability of renewable energy – an empirical analysis of European Union countries using a hybrid of projection pursuit
fuzzy clustering model and accelerated genetic algorithm based on real coding, J. Clean. Prod. 268 (2020), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121940.
[15] Q. Wang, X. Yang, Evaluating the potential for sustainable development of China’s shale gas industry by combining multi-level DPSIR framework, PPFCI
technique and Raga algorithm, Sci. Total Environ. 780 (2021), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146525.
[16] Q. Wang, L. Zhan, Assessing the sustainability of the shale gas industry by combining DPSIRM model and Raga-PP techniques: an empirical analysis of Sichuan
and Chongqing, China, Energy 176 (2019) 353–364, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2019.03.158.
[17] Q. Wang, L. Zhan, Assessing the sustainability of renewable energy: an empirical analysis of selected 18 European countries, Sci. Total Environ. 692 (2019)
529–545, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.170.
[18] WIPO, Global Innovation Index 2021: Tackling Innovation through Teh COVID-19 Crisis, Geneva, 2021.
[19] C. Jin, M. Shahzad, A.U. Zafar, N.M. Suki, Socio-economic and environmental drivers of green innovation: evidence from nonlinear ARDL, Econ. Res. Istraz. . 35
(2022) 5336–5356, https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2022.2026241.
[20] H. An, A. Razzaq, A. Nawaz, S.M. Noman, S.A.R. Khan, Nexus between green logistic operations and triple bottom line: evidence from infrastructure-led Chinese
outward foreign direct investment in Belt and Road host countries, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 28 (2021) 51022–51045, https://doi.org/10.1007/S11356-021-
12470-3/TABLES/8.
[21] J. Hojnik, M. Ruzzier, What drives eco-innovation? A review of an emerging literature, Environ. Innov. Soc. Transit. 19 (2016) 31–41, https://doi.org/10.1016/
j.eist.2015.09.006.
[22] H. Gupta, M.K. Barua, A grey DEMATEL-based approach for modeling enablers of green innovation in manufacturing organizations, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 25
(2018) 9556–9578.
[23] M. Yurdakul, H. Kazan, Effects of eco-innovation on economic and environmental performance: evidence from Turkey’s manufacturing companies, Sustain.
Times 12 (2020) 3167, https://doi.org/10.3390/SU12083167.
[24] S. Ullah, F.U. Khan, N. Ahmad, Promoting sustainability through green innovation adoption: a case of manufacturing industry, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 29
(2022) 21119–21139, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-17322-8.
[25] L. Chen, X. Bai, B. Chen, J. Wang, Incentives for green and low-carbon technological innovation of enterprises under environmental regulation: from the
perspective of evolutionary game, Front. Energy Res. 9 (2022), https://doi.org/10.3389/fenrg.2021.793667.
[26] S. Jiang, X. Liu, Z. Liu, H. Shi, H. Xu, Does green finance promote enterprises’ green technology innovation in China? Front. Environ. Sci. 10 (2022) https://doi.
org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.981013.
[27] Y. Yu, Z. Xu, P. Shen, L. Zhang, T. Ni, Efficiency evaluation and influencing factors of green innovation in Chinese resource-based cities: based on SBM-
undesirable and spatial durbin model, Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 19 (2022), https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192113772.
[28] M. Wasiq, M. Kamal, N. Ali, Factors influencing green innovation adoption and its impact on the sustainability performance of small- and medium-sized
enterprises in Saudi Arabia, Sustainability 15 (2023) 2447, https://doi.org/10.3390/SU15032447.
[29] Y. Han, Q. Wang, Y. Li, Does financial resource misallocation inhibit the improvement of green development efficiency? Evidence from China, Sustainability 15
(2023), https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054466.
[30] C. Kul, L. Zhang, Y.A. Solangi, Assessing the renewable energy investment risk factors for sustainable development in Turkey, J. Clean. Prod. 276 (2020),
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124164.

10
Y.A. Solangi et al. Heliyon 10 (2024) e30158

[31] S.A.A. Shah, Y.A. Solangi, A sustainable solution for electricity crisis in Pakistan: opportunities, barriers, and policy implications for 100% renewable energy,
Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 26 (2019) 29687–29703, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-019-06102-0.
[32] C.P. Padilla-Lozano, P. Collazzo, Corporate social responsibility, green innovation and competitiveness – causality in manufacturing, Compet, Rev. 32 (2022)
21–39, https://doi.org/10.1108/CR-12-2020-0160.
[33] D. Tang, Y.A. Solangi, Fostering a sustainable energy future to combat climate change: EESG impacts of green economy transitions, Processes 11 (2023), https://
doi.org/10.3390/pr11051548.
[34] L. Wang, J. Zheng, Research on low-carbon diffusion considering the game among enterprises in the complex network context, J. Clean. Prod. 210 (2019) 1–11,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.10.297.
[35] S.K. Singh, M. Del Giudice, C.J. Chiappetta Jabbour, H. Latan, A.S. Sohal, Stakeholder pressure, green innovation, and performance in small and medium-sized
enterprises: the role of green dynamic capabilities, Bus. Strateg. Environ. 31 (2022) 500–514, https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2906.
[36] H. Wiesmeth, Stakeholder engagement for environmental innovations, J. Bus. Res. 119 (2020) 310–320, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.12.054.
[37] X. Ma, J. He, Air pollution and corporate green innovation in China, Econ. Model. 124 (2023), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2023.106305.
[38] I. Meidute-Kavaliauskiene, Ş. Çiğdem, A. Vasilis Vasiliauskas, B. Yıldız, Green innovation in environmental complexity: the implication of open innovation,
J. Open Innov. Technol. Mark. Complex. 7 (2021), https://doi.org/10.3390/joitmc7020107.
[39] S. Khanra, P. Kaur, R.P. Joseph, A. Malik, A. Dhir, A resource-based view of green innovation as a strategic firm resource: present status and future directions,
Bus. Strateg. Environ. 31 (2022) 1395–1413, https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2961.
[40] M. Tanveer, S.A.R. Khan, M. Umar, Z. Yu, M.J. Sajid, I.U. Haq, Waste management and green technology: future trends in circular economy leading towards
environmental sustainability, Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res. 29 (2022) 80161–80178, https://doi.org/10.1007/S11356-022-23238-8, 2022 2953.
[41] H. Wang, M.A.S. Khan, F. Anwar, F. Shahzad, D. Adu, M. Murad, Green innovation practices and its impacts on environmental and organizational performance,
Front. Psychol. 11 (2021) 3316, https://doi.org/10.3389/FPSYG.2020.553625/BIBTEX.
[42] Y. Shen, Z.W. Su, M.Y. Malik, M. Umar, Z. Khan, M. Khan, Does green investment, financial development and natural resources rent limit carbon emissions? A
provincial panel analysis of China, Sci. Total Environ. 755 (2021), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.142538.
[43] W. Song, H. Yu, Green innovation strategy and green innovation: the roles of green creativity and green organizational identity, Corp. Soc. Responsib. Environ.
Manag. 25 (2018) 135–150, https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1445.
[44] Z. Lin, S. Wang, L. Yang, Motivating innovation alliance’s environmental performance through eco-innovation investment in a supply chain, J. Clean. Prod. 269
(2020) 122361, https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JCLEPRO.2020.122361.
[45] M. Mumtaz, Role of civil society organizations for promoting green and blue infrastructure to adapting climate change: evidence from Islamabad city, Pakistan,
J. Clean. Prod. 309 (2021) 127296, https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JCLEPRO.2021.127296.
[46] T.L. Saaty, Decision Making with Dependence and Feedback: the Analytic Network Process, RWS Publ, 1996.
[47] T.L. Saaty, Deriving the AHP 1-9 scale from first principles. Sixth Int. Symp. Anal. Hierarchy Process, 2001 pg. 245, http://www.isahp.org/2001Proceedings/
Papers/125-P.pdf.
[48] Y. Ersoy, A. Tehci, Relationship marketing orientation in healthcare organisations with the AHP method. Internal and external customer perspective, Oper. Res.
Decis. 33 (2023) 35–45, https://doi.org/10.37190/ord230103.
[49] L. Shen, K. Muduli, A. Barve, Developing a sustainable development framework in the context of mining industries: AHP approach, Resour. Policy. 46 (2015)
15–26, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2013.10.006.
[50] M. Ortiz-Barrios, C. Miranda-De la Hoz, P. López-Meza, A. Petrillo, F. De Felice, A case of food supply chain management with AHP, DEMATEL, and TOPSIS, J,
Multi-Criteria Decis. Anal. 27 (2020) 104–128, https://doi.org/10.1002/mcda.1693.
[51] E.B. Ali, E.B. Agyekum, P. Adadi, Agriculture for sustainable development: a SWOT-AHP assessment of Ghana’s planting for food and jobs initiative, Sustain.
Times 13 (2021) 1–24, https://doi.org/10.3390/su13020628.
[52] D. Ürer Erdil, M. Tümer, H. Nadiri, I. Aghaei, Prioritizing information sources and requirements in students’ choice of higher education destination: using AHP
analysis, Sage Open 11 (2021), https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440211015685.
[53] X. Pan, C. Han, X. Lu, Z. Jiao, Y. Ming, Green innovation ability evaluation of manufacturing enterprises based on AHP–OVP model, Ann. Oper. Res. (2018),
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-018-3094-6.
[54] T.L. Saaty, How to make a decision: the analytic hierarchy process, Eur. J. Oper. Res. 48 (1990) 9–26, https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-2217(90)90057-I.
[55] J. Franek, A. Kresta, Judgment scales and consistency measure in AHP, procedia econ, Financ. Times 12 (2014) 164–173, https://doi.org/10.1016/s2212-5671
(14)00332-3.
[56] P.T. Harker, Incomplete pairwise comparisons in the analytic hierarchy process, Math. Model. 9 (1987) 837–848, https://doi.org/10.1016/0270-0255(87)
90503-3.
[57] T.K. Biswas, S. Chaki, Applications of modified simple additive weighting method in manufacturing environment, Int. J. Eng. Trans. A Basics. 35 (2022)
830–836, https://doi.org/10.5829/IJE.2022.35.04A.23.
[58] A. Ibrahim, R.A. Surya, The implementation of simple additive weighting (SAW) method in decision support system for the best school selection in jambi,
J. Phys. Conf. Ser. (2019), https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1338/1/012054.
[59] D. Sedghiyan, A. Ashouri, N. Maftouni, Q. Xiong, E. Rezaee, S. Sadeghi, Prioritization of renewable energy resources in five climate zones in Iran using AHP,
hybrid AHP-TOPSIS and AHP-SAW methods, Sustain. Energy Technol. Assessments 44 (2021), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2021.101045.
[60] I.G. Akhmetova, N.D. Chichirova, Application of SAW method for multiple-criteria comparative analysis of the reliability of heat supply organizations, Therm.
Eng. 63 (2016) 1016–1024, https://doi.org/10.1134/S0040601516140020.
[61] F.S. Amalia, Application of SAW method in decision support system for determination of exemplary students, J. Inf. Technol. Softw. Eng. Comput. Sci. 1 (2022)
14–21, https://doi.org/10.58602/itsecs.v1i1.9.
[62] Ž. Stević, D. Pamučar, E.K. Zavadskas, G. Ćirović, O. Prentkovskis, The selection of wagons for the internal transport of a logistics company: a novel approach
based on rough BWM and rough SAW methods, Symmetry (Basel) 9 (2017), https://doi.org/10.3390/sym9110264.
[63] T.F. Slaper, T.J. Hall, The triple bottom line: what is it and how does it work? Indiana Bus. Rev. 86 (2011) 1–8.
[64] Y.A. Solangi, C. Longsheng, S.A. Ali Shah, A. Alsanad, M. Ahmad, M.A. Akbar, A. Gumaei, S. Ali, Analyzing renewable energy sources of a developing country for
sustainable development: an integrated fuzzy based-decision methodology, Processes 8 (2020), https://doi.org/10.3390/pr8070825.
[65] S. Iqbal, Y. Wang, S. Ali, N. Amin, S. Kausar, Asymmetric determinants of renewable energy production in Pakistan : do economic development , environmental,
J. Knowl. Econ. (2023), https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-023-01309-6.
[66] S. Ali, H. Xu, A.Q. Al-amin, N. Ahmad, Energy sources choice and environmental sustainability disputes: an evolutional graph model approach, Qual. Quant.
(2018) 1–21, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-018-0775-9.
[67] S. Ali, H. Waqas, N. Ahmad, Analyzing the dynamics of energy consumption, liberalization, financial development, poverty and carbon emissions in Pakistan,
J. Appl. Environ. Biol. Sci. 5 (2015) 166–183.
[68] W. Ahmed, Q. Tan, G.M. Shaikh, H. Waqas, N.A. Kanasro, S. Ali, Y.A. Solangi, Assessing and prioritizing the climate change policy objectives for sustainable
development in Pakistan, Symmetry (Basel) 12 (2020), https://doi.org/10.3390/SYM12081203.
[69] A. Akbulut, O. Ozcevik, L. Carton, Evaluating suitability of a GIS-AHP combined method for sustainable Urban and environmental planning in Beykoz District,
Istanbul, Int. J. Sustain. Dev. Plan. 13 (2018) 1103–1115, https://doi.org/10.2495/SDP-V13-N8-1103-1115.
[70] EPA, Economic Incentives, US EPA, 2023.
[71] G. van Leeuwen, P. Mohnen, Revisiting the Porter hypothesis: an empirical analysis of Green innovation for The Netherlands, Econ. Innov. New Technol. 26
(2017) 63–77, https://doi.org/10.1080/10438599.2016.1202521.
[72] C. Liu, X. Gao, W. Ma, X. Chen, Research on regional differences and influencing factors of green technology innovation efficiency of China’s high-tech industry,
J. Comput. Appl. Math. 369 (2020) 112597, https://doi.org/10.1016/J.CAM.2019.112597.

11