INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR INNOVATIVE RESEARCH IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY FIELD ISSN: 2455-0620 Volume - 3, Issue - 11, Nov – 2017 Monthly, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed, Indexed Journal with IC Value: 86.87 Impact Factor: 5.60 Publication Date: 30/11/2017 Available online on – WWW.IJIRMF.COM Page 50 SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) HOME SYSTEM: ADAPTABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY AWARENESS AMONG USERS IN OFF-GRID AND ON-GRID AREAS IN NORTHERN SAMAR Simmon M. Tan, Jr. 1 , Lidany F. Cornillez 2 1 Faculty of Agricultural Engineering Department, College of Engineering, and Technical Division Head, Affiliated Renewable Energy Center for Samar Island, University of Eastern Philippines, Catarman, Northern Samar, Philippines. 2 Faculty of Agricultural Engineering Department, College of Engineering, and Director, Affiliated Renewable Energy Center for Samar Island, University of Eastern Philippines, Catarman, Northern Samar, Philippines. Email: simmonjrtan@yahoo.com, lfcornillez@yahoo.com 1. INTRODUCTION: Renewable energy systems have been increasingly utilized in most developing countries as means to rural electrification. Solar Photovoltaic System took advantage as it uses solar energy which is virtually free and supply is unlimited. With these characteristics, and with the massive global campaign in climate change mitigation, solar Photovoltaic (PV) technology grew faster than any other fuel in 2016 (IEA, 2017). A Solar Home System (SHS) is a type of PV system, typically a small standalone solar electrical system with a solar panel, a charge controller/regulator, a battery, and belt-in load applicability for simple, low powered electrical appliances such as lights, small radio, mobile phone charger, portable DVD player and a small TV. Its basic function is to utilize the sun’s energy to provide electricity for various electrical applications in a household. Province of Northern Samar has four (4) island municipalities with a limited power supply. These municipalities were dependent on NPC-Small Power Utility Group power plant that operates on a limited hours of operation per day. To add the fact that the province is constantly experiencing power interruption, this scenario serves as a driver for the local residence to invest in solar technology for home use. In addition, it was late in the year 2010 when the Philippine Department of Energy (DOE) in partnership with University of Eastern Philippines Affiliated Renewable Energy Center for Samar Island started promoting SHS by way of energizing un-energized barangays in the province of Northern Samar (UEP-AREC). As of to date, the DOE and UEP-AREC had energized one thousand one hundred seventy one (1,171) households using SHS technology in the province. With these existing PV installations, the researchers believed that it helped a lot in technology diffusion more so that many households in the adjacent areas who do not qualify as a DOE’s program-beneficiary provided their own solar home system. In the study conducted by Farhar and Coburn (2000) revealed that main barriers of PV adoption is that residents are not willing to install PV systems until they receive more information (e.g. how it works, how they reduce electricity costs and other users’ experience). Result of this study will encourage future users to adopt and patronize solar PV technology as Wamukonya N. and Davis M. (2001) mentioned that satisfied households may also encourage others to acquire SHS. Conversely, low user satisfaction may also discourage other residents who have not adopted SHS from purchasing the equipment. In view of the previous studies and with the researchers’ desire of attaining at Abstract: This study was conducted to come up with baseline information on how users from on-grid and off- grid areas in the province of Northern Samar response with the use of Solar PV Home system technology. A descriptive correlational research design was employed to analysed data from 93 randomly selected respondents coming from off-grid and on-grid areas of Northern Samar. Results revealed that user respondents in this study has high level of awareness to the operation and maintenance of the solar PV system, has high level of satisfaction and adaptability to the technology. Regression analysis revealed a significant relationship exists between the user’s level of awareness and profile on educational attainment as well as monthly family income. The level of satisfaction was found to be significantly related to the users attendance to trainings/seminars related to PV system and the location. Level of user’s adaptability to the technology revealed a significant relationship with the age and the number of PV trainings/seminars attended. Operational problems on replacement parts, poor battery performance, high battery cost as well as the non availability of local technician and to include the poor quality materials were the experiences encountered by the user’s respondents with the use of solar PV home system. It can be concluded as a whole that using PV system offers significant benefits and advantages to the part of the users as manifested by the high level of satisfaction and adaptability. Key Words: Solar PV Home System, awareness, satisfaction, adaptability.