Quantifying the Externalities of Renewable Energy Plants Using Wellbeing Data: The Case of Biogas

Christian Krekel, Julia Rechlitz (), Johannes Rode and Alexander Zerrahn
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Julia Rechlitz: DIW Berlin

No 13959, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: Although there is strong support for renewable energy plants, they are often met with local resistance. We quantify the externalities of renewable energy plants using wellbeing data. We focus on the example of biogas, one of the most frequently deployed technologies besides wind and solar. To this end, we combine longitudinal household data with novel panel data on more than 13,000 installations in Germany. Identification rests on a spatial difference-in-differences design exploiting exact geographical coordinates of households, biogas installations and wind direction and intensity. We find limited evidence for negative externalities: impacts are moderate in size and spatially confined to a radius of 2,000 metres around plants. We discuss implications for research and regional planning, in particular minimum setback distances and potential monetary compensations.

Keywords: renewables; biogas; externalities; social acceptance; wellbeing; spatial analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C23 Q42 Q51 R20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 52 pages
Date: 2020-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene, nep-env, nep-eur, nep-hap and nep-reg
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Quantifying the Externalities of Renewable Energy Plants Using Wellbeing Data: The Case of Biogas (2021)
Working Paper: Quantifying the externalities of renewable energy plants using wellbeing data: The case of biogas (2020)
Working Paper: Quantifying the externalities of renewable energy plants using wellbeing data: the case of biogas (2020)
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