Adaptation to sustainable energy use: A case study on agricultural cooperatives

Energy use rates are continuously growing with an increasing population. Rising energy needs then accelerate the depletion of fossil fuels. To ensure a sustainable future, renewable energy sources should be used worldwide. With the initiation of the industrial revolution, humankind started to use the world's energy resources without thinking about nature and future generations. Excessive consumption of available resources polluted the environment and altered climate patterns. Depleting fossil fuels in the near future and climate change will force world countries to tend to renewable energy sources. The present research was conducted to investigate the renewable energy awareness and adaptation of managers of agricultural development cooperatives composed of farmers, the most vulnerable segment of society to climate change. With the questionnaires, data were gathered about the general status of agricultural cooperatives, the socio-economic status of cooperative managers, managers' level of knowledge, and awareness of renewable energy resources. Survey data were subjected to fuzzy pairwise comparison and chi-square tests. Present findings revealed that cooperative managers had a medium level of knowledge on renewable energy. In addition, the cooperatives were willing to use and invest in renewable energy. This finding may guide policymakers in renewable energy investment decision-making.