How Does Energy Supply Affect Citizen Well-being?

Responding to environmental concerns, many countries are restructuring their electricity supply. In this video, HEINZ WELSCH examines the nature of the relationship between electricity supply structure and citizen well-being. Combining data from the European Social Survey with information on different national electricity supply models, among the study’s findings is the observation that though wind energy is generally associated with improved citizen well-being, negative effects can also be observed, especially in the early years after the construction of a wind farm. Encouraging further work on electricity transmission as well as generation, Welsch’s work provides an important model for how future research can engage with concepts like “wellness” and “well-being”, previously held to be outside of the remit of economic analysis.