Ben Hoen
Ben Hoen is a Staff Scientist in the Energy Markets and Policy Department at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Ben conducts research and analysis on renewable energy, including: renewable energy policy analysis and assistance; cost, benefit, and market analysis; and public acceptance and market barriers. Ben leads the Community Impacts and Public Acceptance project area, which conducted past efforts such as the National Survey of Wind Project Neighbors, Community Centered Solar Development, and multiple investigations of property value effects of homes near wind and solar projects or with solar systems installed on them. Ben also leads the Berkeley Lab's role in maintaining of the U.S. Wind Turbine Database and the US Large-Scale PV Database.
Since joining the lab in 2006, Ben has authored or co-authored more than 100 publications, including articles published in the Nature Energy, the Journal of Real Estate Research, Contemporary Economic Policy, RE Focus, the Appraisal Journal, Energy Policy, Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, Environment International, Energy Research & Social Science, Energy Economics, Wind Engineering, and Scientific Data.
Previously, Ben worked in the paper recycling industry in Baltimore and set up and ran his own business in Brooklyn, NY. Ben has Bachelor’s degrees in Finance and Business from the University of Maryland and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Policy from Bard College. He lives in the Hudson Valley of New York with his wife, two sons, and a menagerie of pets.
Awards
Spot: Ben Hoen - May 15th 2018
Ben's unwavering vision and leadership ensured the development of the U.S. Wind Turbine Database -- the nation's single point of reference for comprehensive location and technical details on deployed wind turbines.
Hoen Receives Armstrong/Kahn Award - January 1st 2017
Ben Hoen, an Energy & Environmental Policy Research Scientist and Engineer with the Electricity Markets & Policy Group, received The Appraisal Journal’s 2016 Armstrong/Kahn Award for his article titled “An Analysis of Solar Home Paired Sales across Six States.” The Armstrong/Kahn Award is presented annually for the most outstanding original article published in The Appraisal Journal during the previous year.
American Real Estate Society (ARES) 2010 Award - September 29th 2010
A conference paper, "Wind Energy Facilities and Residential Properties: The Effect of Proximity and View on Sales Prices," has won the American Real Estate Society (ARES) 2010 award for "Real Estate Sustainability" sponsored by the NAIOP Research Foundation. ARES is dedicated to producing and disseminating knowledge related to real estate decision making and the functioning of real estate markets. The paper is based on an LBNL report.
Friend of the Program Award - May 8th 2009
Presented to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in recognition of excellence and leadership in wind energy policy and market analysis, by The Wind Powering America Program at WINDPOWER 2009. At the time of the award, the renewables team included: Ryan Wiser, Mark Bolinger, Galen Barbose, Andrew Mills, Ben Hoen, Naim Darghouth, Carla Peterman, and Anna Rosa.