Abstract

Introduction: Renewable energies are among the most critical factors for achieving sustainable economic and environmental development. By diversifying the energy portfolio and ensuring energy security, they are compatible with the environment and play a significant role in enhancing public health and expanding employment. As a country endowed with substantial potential in this domain and a high unemployment rate, Iran can leverage this opportunity to generate sustainable employment. Consequently, the central question of this research is the identification and causal analysis of factors affecting entrepreneurship development in the renewable energy sector.

Methodology: This study is applied in purpose and qualitative in nature. The required data were collected through environmental scanning using purposive sampling, continuing until theoretical saturation was achieved. Environmental scanning was conducted across three layers: documentary scanning, event scanning, and expertise scanning. Subsequently, qualitative content analysis was employed to identify key drivers, resulting in the extraction of 167 key variables and 16 overarching drivers, categorized using the STEEP-V technique. To analyze these drivers and answer the research question, the Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) method was utilized.

Findings: Based on the Causal Layered Analysis, four primary levels were identified: myth-metaphor, worldview/discourse, social systems, and litany level. At the deepest level of myth/metaphor, future developments, vision design, and societal culture towards environmental preservation and production were highlighted. The worldview/discourse level encompassed policy structure and management style. The social systems level included the review and reform of regulations and their stability, infrastructural factors, demographic factors, education, rapid technological growth, access to technology markets, and research and development (R&D). Finally, the surface-level litany contained issues such as startup costs, supportive factors, competitive advantage creation, and attention to regional capacities.

Conclusion/Achievements: The main conclusion of this research is that achieving entrepreneurship development in renewable energy necessitates a transformation in the beliefs and mindsets of stakeholders, supported by congruent policies and cultural shifts. Therefore, policies must be directed towards fostering innovative thinking, collective participation, and infrastructural facilitation to create a conducive environment for innovation and investment in renewable energies. The key achievement of this study is the provision of a comprehensive, time-bound roadmap that designs operational strategies for four distinct layers-ranging from fundamental changes in dominant beliefs and discourses to regulatory reforms and the reduction of financial barriers. This framework provides a systematic pathway for policymakers and entrepreneurs to accelerate the transition towards a green economy and realize the vision of clean energy in Iran.