Does the construction of biogas plants affect local property values?

- Social acceptability of biogas plants is controversial due to local resistances.
- Quasi-experiment using biogas plants opening between 2006 and 2015 in Piedmont.
- Considering plants' authorization and opening dates through diff-in-diff model.
- No significant impact of the opening of a biogas plant on the housing values.

Although biogas is considered a renewable source of energy, the social acceptability of biogas plants is controversial due to resistance from local communities who are afraid of potential local negative externalities. This paper aims to investigate this claim, by means of a diff-in-diff model, using evidence from the housing market of Piedmont, where 167 biogas plants were opened between 2006 and 2015. The results show no significant impact of the opening of a biogas plant on housing values in neighboring areas.