Visual disamenities from off-shore wind farms in Denmark

TY - GEN

T1 - Visual disamenities from off-shore wind farms in Denmark

AU - Ladenburg, Jacob

AU - Dubgaard, Alex

AU - Tranberg, Jesper

PY - 2006

Y1 - 2006

N2 - Expansion of the off-shore wind power plays a significant role in the energy policies of many EU countries. However, off-shore wind farms create visual disamenities. These disamenities can be reduced by locating wind farms at larger distances from the coast – and accepting higher costs per kWh produced. Base on the choices among alternative wind farm outlays, the preferences for reducing visual disamenities of off-shore wind farms were elicited using the Choice Experiment Method. The results show a clear picture; the respondents in three independent samples are willing to pay for mowing future off-shore wind farms away from the shore to reduce the wind farms visibility. However, the results also denote that the preferences vary with regards to the experiences with visual disamenities of off-shore wind farms. The respondents Horns Revs sample, where the off-shore wind farm is located at large distance from the shore, have the lowest WTP. The respondents in Nysted, who have the wind farm located close to the shore, have on the other hand by far the highest WTP. In between is the WTP from the national sample. The results thus point towards locating wind farms at large distances from the shore, to minimise the external cost. The results also denote that preference preferences structures between the three samples are significantly different and possibly explained by different experience with off-shore wind farms . Finally the results illustrate that the marginal benefits off-locating wind farms at very large distance from the coast might be small.

AB - Expansion of the off-shore wind power plays a significant role in the energy policies of many EU countries. However, off-shore wind farms create visual disamenities. These disamenities can be reduced by locating wind farms at larger distances from the coast – and accepting higher costs per kWh produced. Base on the choices among alternative wind farm outlays, the preferences for reducing visual disamenities of off-shore wind farms were elicited using the Choice Experiment Method. The results show a clear picture; the respondents in three independent samples are willing to pay for mowing future off-shore wind farms away from the shore to reduce the wind farms visibility. However, the results also denote that the preferences vary with regards to the experiences with visual disamenities of off-shore wind farms. The respondents Horns Revs sample, where the off-shore wind farm is located at large distance from the shore, have the lowest WTP. The respondents in Nysted, who have the wind farm located close to the shore, have on the other hand by far the highest WTP. In between is the WTP from the national sample. The results thus point towards locating wind farms at large distances from the shore, to minimise the external cost. The results also denote that preference preferences structures between the three samples are significantly different and possibly explained by different experience with off-shore wind farms . Finally the results illustrate that the marginal benefits off-locating wind farms at very large distance from the coast might be small.

KW - Former LIFE faculty

KW - Off-shore wind power

KW - visual externalities/disamenities

KW - economic valuation

KW - choice experiments

KW - willingness to pay

KW - heterogeneity in preference and experience

M3 - Article in proceedings

SP - 1

EP - 18

BT - Ikke angivet

PB - EFTEC, Economics for the Environment Consultancy

T2 - ENVECON 2006: Applied Environmental Economics Conference

Y2 - 24 March 2006 through 24 March 2006

ER -