In South Africa’s energy sector, several renewable technologies are mature enough to roll out, but need the right support in the right contexts. Around the world, attempts to adopt new or improved technologies often fail because they focus on the ‘hardware’ and ignore the complex mix of interconnected social, institutional, economic and policy issues that can limit success. Academic studies reveal the main ingredients for successful technology adoption, and this briefing outlines these for policymakers and practitioners, along with some practical guidance in the context of energy access and rural development in South Africa and the CHOICES project.