Do turbines in the vicinity of respondents' residences influence choices among programmes for future wind power generation?

This paper contributes to the literature on accounting for spatial characteristics in the analysis of stated choices. It is studied whether the present spatial allocation of turbines in a region affects choices on alternative programmes describing the future shape of wind power generation. Due to the present allocation turbines affect inhabitants of the study region differently. Using a Geographical Information System variables describing respondents' exposure to turbines are calculated, e.g. distance to the nearest turbine. Including them into multinomial and latent class logit models shows that exposure to turbines affects the propensity to choose the non-buy alternative and willingness to pay (WTP) values. Respondents who live further away from turbines are more likely to be the opponents of wind power generation and thus have a higher willingness to pay for moving turbines further away from residential areas. Tests for global and local spatial autocorrelation reveal that global spatial autocorrelation of the individual-specific WTP values is low. However, local clusters of similar WTP exist. Particularly in the biggest city of the study region clusters of respondents with low WTP values are present. Spatial analysis thus provides otherwise invisible pattern.