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What shapes the support of renewable energy expansion? Public attitudes between policy goals and risk, time, and social preferences

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  • Groh, Elke D.
  • Möllendorff, Charlotte v.

Abstract

Climate protection goals can only be achieved if the expansion of renewable energies is publicly supported. This paper analyzes the relevance of the perceived importance of policy goals and framework conditions as well as individual risk, time, and social preferences for the support of the German energy transition. Based on data from an online survey, our empirical analysis reveals that the perceived importance of climate protection, nuclear risks, changes in the landscape and economic effects are decisive for a strong support of the energy transition. In addition, it reveals that the importance of the policy goals is driven by political orientation but also by trust and a feeling of responsibility. Therefore, this study emphasizes the need to compensate for the negative consequences of the transition process, to take confidence-building measures, and to sensitize the public for their own stake in greenhouse gas emissions.

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  • Groh, Elke D. & Möllendorff, Charlotte v., 2020. "What shapes the support of renewable energy expansion? Public attitudes between policy goals and risk, time, and social preferences," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:137:y:2020:i:c:s0301421519307578
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.111171
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    2. Dehler-Holland, Joris & Schumacher, Kira & Fichtner, Wolf, 2021. "Topic Modeling Uncovers Shifts in Media Framing of the German Renewable Energy Act," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 2(1).
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    5. Beate Fischer & Gunnar Gutsche & Heike Wetzel, 2020. "Who wants to get involved? Determinants of citizens’ willingness to participate in German renewable energy cooperatives," MAGKS Papers on Economics 202027, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    6. Anna Manuella Melo Nunes & Luiz Moreira Coelho Junior & Raphael Abrahão & Edvaldo Pereira Santos Júnior & Flávio José Simioni & Paulo Rotella Junior & Luiz Célio Souza Rocha, 2023. "Public Policies for Renewable Energy: A Review of the Perspectives for a Circular Economy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-28, January.
    7. Agnieszka Janik & Adam Ryszko & Marek Szafraniec, 2021. "Determinants of the EU Citizens’ Attitudes towards the European Energy Union Priorities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-32, August.
    8. Groh, Elke D., 2022. "Exposure to wind turbines, regional identity and the willingness to pay for regionally produced electricity," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Energy policy; Energy transition; Public attitude; Policy support; Univariate ordered and binary probit model; Multivariate ordered probit model;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming

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