Impact of biogas plants on rural residential property values and implications for local acceptance

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of biogas plants on rural residential property values and implications for local acceptance

AU - Zemo, Kahsay Haile

AU - Panduro, Toke Emil

AU - Termansen, Mette

PY - 2019

Y1 - 2019

N2 - In this paper, we investigate the impact of large- and farm-scale biogas plants on the rural residential property values. We use data from 11,279 rural housing transactions in the period 2007–2015 and trace spatial effects of biogas plants on the local property market. Our results show that large biogas plants have a significant negative impact on rural residential property values while farm-scale biogas plants have a significant positive impact. The findings suggest that preferences for or against biogas plants cannot be explained by either a NIMBY or a PIMBY phenomenon and the paper explores potential reasons for the observed disparity in valuation of farm- and large-scale biogas plants. An economic impact assessment of the choice of facility type, based on a concrete case study, indicates that the impact on residential property values may tip the scale in favor of farm-scale biogas plants. Based on these results, policy implications for planning and expansion of biogas production are discussed.

AB - In this paper, we investigate the impact of large- and farm-scale biogas plants on the rural residential property values. We use data from 11,279 rural housing transactions in the period 2007–2015 and trace spatial effects of biogas plants on the local property market. Our results show that large biogas plants have a significant negative impact on rural residential property values while farm-scale biogas plants have a significant positive impact. The findings suggest that preferences for or against biogas plants cannot be explained by either a NIMBY or a PIMBY phenomenon and the paper explores potential reasons for the observed disparity in valuation of farm- and large-scale biogas plants. An economic impact assessment of the choice of facility type, based on a concrete case study, indicates that the impact on residential property values may tip the scale in favor of farm-scale biogas plants. Based on these results, policy implications for planning and expansion of biogas production are discussed.

KW - Biogas

KW - Capitalization effect

KW - Hedonic pricing method

KW - Local acceptance

KW - Spatial generalized additive model

U2 - 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.03.008

DO - 10.1016/j.enpol.2019.03.008

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85063062534

SN - 0301-4215

VL - 129

SP - 1121

EP - 1131

JO - Energy Policy

JF - Energy Policy

ER -