Flexibilization or biomethane upgrading? Investment preference of German biogas plant operators for the follow-up of guaranteed feed-in tariffs

This dataset reports the results of a discrete choice experiment with 183 German biogas plant operators designed to elicit the respondents’ plans for biogas utilization pathways after the end of guaranteed feed-in tariffs. Participants could choose between ‘flexibilization’ for demand-based electricity generation and conversion to biomethane upgrading for direct feed-in into the natural gas grid. A binomial logit model revealed a 37% probability of switching to biomethane upgrading. These plants are characterized by higher capacities, several involved shareholders, secured succession, costly digestate disposal and belonging to the upper performance quartile. Mixed logit estimations conducted separately for the two investment concepts revealed a very high overall willingness to invest: 71% for flexibilization and 82% for biomethane upgrading. The respondents demand a return on investment of 19% for flexibilization and 26% for biomethane upgrading. Within the flexibilization, twofold over..., , , # Flexibilization or biomethane upgrading? Investment preference of German biogas plant operators for the follow-up of guaranteed feed-in tariffs

A discrete choice experiment with 183 German biogas plant operators designed to elicit the respondents’ plans for biogas utilization pathways after the end of guaranteed feed-in tariffs. Participants could choose between ‘flexibilization’ for demand-based electricity generation and conversion to biomethane upgrading for direct feed-in into the natural gas grid.

## Description of the data and file structure

In the survey, participants were asked to provide basic characteristics of their biogas plant, such as capacity specifications, substrate input and the number of other biogas plants in the vicinity. The participants were then asked to decide which of the two concepts, flexibilization or biomethane upgrading, they would consider for their plant in the first stage. This choice is recorded as a dummy variable.
Since extended operation in t...