Assessment of the determinants of residents’ participation in local waste-to-energy projects in China: The case of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region

Abstract

The participation of households in transforming waste to energy at the local level remains critical in dealing with waste and meeting energy requirements. Citizens' participation in local waste-to-energy in the Chinese context is yet to be studied. Using the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region as a case, this study investigates citizens' participation in local waste-to-energy projects. Four constructs: knowledge, trust, price, and community identity, were used in extending the theory of reasoned action (TRA). 410 responses were evaluated through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The analysis confirmed that the extended TRA improved explanatory strength over the original TRA as the explained variance increased from 33.1 % to 43.2 %. It was evident that Knowledge, trust, environmental awareness, and social norms positively influenced willingness to participate in waste-to-energy projects. However, price and community identity were insignificant. A one-way ANOVA analysis showed that urban residents and lower-income earners are more inclined to participate in waste-to-energy initiatives. The research findings add to the understanding of citizens' participation in local waste-to-energy projects. This study provides important implications for industry players and policymakers to enhance citizens’ participation in local waste-to-energy projects.