Exploring Biochar Technology Adoption in a Circular Economy Perspective: A Technology Acceptance Model Approach

Introduction In the pursuit of sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions for agricultural and environmental challenges, biochar technology has gained great prominence. Biochar is a carbon-rich, solid material produced through pyrolysis, a thermochemical process where organic matter, such as residual from agriculture, is heated in a low-oxygen environment to obtain three products: biochar, bio-oil, and syngas. The main property of biochar is a high carbon content with a stable structure that implies a great capacity for water retention, nutrient absorption, and cation exchange (Kant Bhatia et al., 2021). Its persistence in soil, lasting hundreds of years, allows for long-term carbon sequestration and soil improvement. Furthermore, biochar, syngas, and bio-oil represent interesting alternatives for renewable energy generation, although, thermo-chemical processes and relative yields in energy through pyrolysis can vary based on several factors, representing a technical barrier to the development of this technology (Ruiz et al., 2013). Overall, biochar technology identifies a promising tool for enhancing soil fertility, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting sustainable agriculture and renewable energy generation. Moreover, biochar technology would close the loop in a circular economy perspective where organic waste material represents a precious feedstock for energy generation, avoiding emissions and reaching carbon sequestration (Kurniawan et al., 2023). Methodology This research introduces an extended framework of the Technology Acceptance Model 2 (TAM-2) to comprehensively investigate the determinants of technology acceptance in the context of biochar technology. It has been conducted among agricultural entrepreneurs and workers in northern Italy to test and find drivers or barriers that influence the choice of such technology adoption. It represents the first academic study addressing technology acceptance of biochar through an Extended TAM-2 Framework, and in general, one of the few investigating such technology acceptance. As in the original TAM, Perceived usefulness (PU) and Perceived ease of use (PEU), are hypothesized to influence the behavioral intention in adopting a specific technology(Davis, 1989). The TAM-2 incorporates additional theoretical constructs spanning social influence processes (subjective norm, voluntariness, and image) and cognitive instrumental processes (job relevance, output quality, result demonstrability, and perceived ease of use) (Venkatesh and Davis, 2000). Moreover, building upon the classical TAM-2 model, and referring to literature, the dependent variable intention to adoption (INT) has been modeled to explain the cognitive process of behavioral intention when adopting this specific technology, proposing an extended TAM-2 model. Four new external factors have been introduced. Two of them are widely found in behavioral intention models: Perception of External control (PEC) which investigates the farmers’ recognition of external instruments such as public policies and incentives, and Price Value (PV), which refers to the tradeoff perceived between benefits and costs related to the technology implementation. The other two new variables were chosen to investigate climate change awareness (CCA) and willingness towards renewable energy production (REP). Data collection was performed through a questionnaire administered via telephonic interviews with farmers. Expected Results The study aims to identify the main factors that drive or impede the acceptance of biochar technology, offering an overview of how different segments perceive and engage with this technology. Furthermore, the research will delve into the influence of demographic, contextual, and other factors on technology acceptance. The first result expected to be found is that an extended TAM-2 represents a suitable model for investigating agricultural technology innovations. Moreover, it is foreseen to encounter a low level of knowledge of biochar technology among respondents, which would align our study with previous research from Latawiec et al. (2017). Such results underline the importance of information dissemination through public policies and incentives. Overall, the outcomes of this study will make meaningful contributions to the understanding of technology acceptance dynamics and provide valuable insights into the formulation of effective strategies fostering the adoption of biochar technology. These insights will be of particular significance to policymakers, agricultural advisors, and technology developers, guiding the implementation of programs tailored to enhance the uptake of sustainable agricultural practices.