The Relevance of Attitudinal Factors for the Acceptance of Energy Policy Measures: A Micro-econometric Analysis

This paper empirically examines the individual support of the German energy transition in total and especially of six single energy policy measures, which are components of the energy transition. Our micro-econometric analysis with binary and ordered probit models on the basis of data from a broad survey of citizens reveals the important role of several attitudinal factors. With respect to our indicators for perceived personal costs of the energy transition, the estimation results point to a weak evidence for economic self-interest due to some negative correlations between expected energy price increases due to the energy transition and the support of single energy policy measures. Interestingly, however, the concern that the energy transition alone causes strong energy price increases is not shared by the majority of the respondents. The estimation results also suggest that the support of several energy policy measures is strongly correlated with environmental values. However, the most important attitudinal factor is obviously political identification. The econometric analysis suggests that an overall left-green policy identification is positively correlated with the support of the energy transition in total and an identification with ecological policy is positively correlated with the acceptance of several single energy policy measures. The econometric analysis especially supports the more sophisticated categorization of political orientation since, for example, a liberal-conservative policy orientation is not significantly correlated with the support of the energy transition in total.