Exploring Factors for the Public’s Willingness to Pay Cost for Transformaion of Energy
Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, energy crisis and climate change were a big issue related to transformation of energy. Currently, energy crisis has never existedbefore 21 century. However, today, both problems of energy production mainly caused by exhaustion of fossil fuels has come to crisis issues for future of huma. In the international communities are trying to solve the problems of the energy crisis and the climate change by through many conventions and conferences (Kyoto protocol, Montreal Protocol, UNFCCC, Rio earth charter etc.). However, cost(money/time) who burdens is critical factor to solve energy problem.
We investigated who are the willingness to pay for cost which is required to development of 13 energy types (sunlight generation, geothermal power, bioenergy, coal power, hydroelectric power, etc.). To measure bearing the cost, we used five point Liker scale, ranging from "I will not be willing to pay at all" to "I will be willing to pay" . We explored how the causal factors, such as perceived risk, benefit, image, trust and knowledge, influence the cost burdening for development of three energies, i.e, nuclear, thermal and renewable energy.
This research will give the goodpolicy implication by examining the willing to pay by individual who is the consumer and payer of energy. It also provides a useful information to policy makers by identifying factors to influence the low and high burdens and examining which factors determine the willingness to pay for energy.