The Role of Green Loans in Enhancing Renewable Energy Projects among Palestinian Women Entrepreneurs in Palestine: Solar Energy as a Model

Abstract

This study aimed to identify the role of green loans in enhancing renewable energy projects among Palestinian women entrepreneurs in Palestine, taking solar energy projects as an applied model. The study adopted the descriptive-analytical approach and used a questionnaire as the main instrument for data collection from a sample of 368 Palestinian women entrepreneurs. The study examined two main variables: the enhancement of renewable energy projects, with its dimensions represented by economic and commercial improvement, access to energy and its productive use, and entrepreneurial empowerment and participation; and green finance and women entrepreneurs’ capacities, with its dimensions represented by green finance, women’s entrepreneurship and empowerment, and green digital financial capacities. The findings showed that the level of enhancement of renewable energy projects among Palestinian women entrepreneurs was high, with an overall mean of 3.5457 and a percentage of 70.91%. The level of green finance and women entrepreneurs’ capacities was also high, with an overall mean of 3.4993 and a percentage of 69.99%. The results also revealed a strong positive and statistically significant correlation between the dimensions of enhancing renewable energy projects and the domain of green finance and women entrepreneurs’ capacities. In addition, the results of multiple linear regression showed a positive and statistically significant effect of the dimensions of enhancing renewable energy projects on the domain of green finance and women entrepreneurs’ capacities, as these dimensions explained 72.6% of the variance in the dependent variable. The findings further indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in the respondents’ answers attributable to place of residence, marital status, or age. The study concluded with the importance of developing green finance policies and programs that are more gender-sensitive, in a way that contributes to supporting Palestinian women entrepreneurs and strengthening their investments in solar energy projects.