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Renewable Energy Perception by Rural Residents of a Peripheral EU Region

Author

Listed:
  • Ozgur Kaya

    (Department of Economics, School of Business Administration, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, UAE)

  • Wojciech J. Florkowski

    (Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA 30223-1797, USA)

  • Anna Us

    (Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Pope John Paul II State School of Higher Education, ul. Sidorska 95/97, 21-500 Biala Podlaska, Poland)

  • Anna M. Klepacka

    (Faculty of Production Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences-SGGW, ul. Nowoursynowska 164, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

Abstract

Renewable energy (RE) sources are often locally available and have the potential to lessen the rural dependence on the national power grid, reducing disruptions in power supplies and the heavy dependence on coal combustion. Poland faces an EU mandate of a 15% share of renewables in energy generation by 2020. However, the installations intended to supply several types of RE encountered local opposition, forcing a cancellation of the planned investments and stressing a need for understanding rural residents’ attitudes towards RE in general. Using survey data, this paper examines the perception of RE importance among rural residents in eastern Poland. The specified empirical relationship includes the sociodemographic and economic characteristics of residents. Perceptions of the links between health and specific sources of environmental pollution and actions demonstrating energy-saving behavior serve as explanatory variables. The performance of the estimated logit equation was rigorously tested. The probability of attaching importance to RE by rural residents increases most if a respondent displayed an energy-saving behavior, has certain demographic characteristics, and links health to environmental pollution caused by coal combustion. The graphic depiction of the effects of selected variables succinctly communicates possible future programs aimed at strengthening the rural population support of RE.

Suggested Citation

  • Ozgur Kaya & Wojciech J. Florkowski & Anna Us & Anna M. Klepacka, 2019. "Renewable Energy Perception by Rural Residents of a Peripheral EU Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-16, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:7:p:2075-:d:220741
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Jolanta Latosińska & Dorota Miłek, 2023. "The State of Knowledge and Attitudes of the Inhabitants of the Polish Świętokrzyskie Province about Renewable Energy Sources," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-21, November.
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    5. Shujie Zhao & Qingbin Song & Chao Wang, 2019. "Characterizing the Energy-Saving Behaviors, Attitudes and Awareness of University Students in Macau," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-11, November.

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