Abstract
In this study we investigate people's preferences for renewable energy development in Poland. Our main objective is to examine whether preferences renewable energy development near individuals’ place of residence are influenced by personal beliefs about the negative effects of wind turbine activity. The study focuses on beliefs about wind power because it has had the most dynamic development among all renewable energy investments in Poland. To elicit values on avoiding renewable energy externalities, we apply a choice experiment method. The data are analysed using the hybrid mixed logit model. The obtained results indicate that individuals’ beliefs about wind turbines’ negative impacts on environment, landscape, human health and wellbeing have distinct effects on people's preferences concerning renewable energy development. Additionally, the results denote that people who generally hold an opinion about wind turbines’ negative effects, regardless of whether they believe or deny that such effects exist, would like to have an input on renewable energy development in their neighbourhood, in contrast to people who do not hold any opinion about the effects. Holding beliefs that wind power is not harmful enhanced individuals’ preferences for implementing wind energy projects and had a significant impact on willingness to pay for increasing the distance from renewable energy production sites to residential areas.