Local Citizens' Preferences for Offshore Wind Turbine Development: An Empirical Evidence from Four Prospective Prefectures in Japan

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate local citizens' recognition of offshore wind power and to evaluate their preferences for offshore wind turbines in four prefectures in Japan, namely, Akita, Chiba, Fukuoka, and Nagasaki, where is promoted areas of offshore wind power. Although the development of offshore wind power is an important measure for Japan to achieve a decarbonized society by 2050, local opposition is one of the main barriers to promoting offshore wind power. This study conducts an online survey and choice experiment with 2400 respondents from the four prefectures. The survey reveals that 55% of respondents agree with the promotion of offshore wind power. Those who opposes the offshore wind power concerns about the durability of turbines and future removal plans. Moreover, the mixed logit model shows that people prefer a greater distance from turbines, a larger number of turbines but not too many, and less impact on marine ecosystems. The model also shows the heterogeneous preferences among individuals and prefectures. Furthermore, the ordered logit model demonstrates that those who recognize the possible contributions of offshore wind turbines are likely to accept the development of offshore wind turbines while those who are concerned about the negative impact of turbines on the marine landscape and removal plans seem to oppose the turbines. The study highlights the importance of tailoring offshore wind farm strategies to local concerns to effectively build consensus among stakeholders.