In　China,　renewable/green　electricity,　which　can　provide　significant　environmental　benefits　in　addition　to　meeting　energy　demand,　has　more　non-use　value　than　use-value　for　electricity　consumers,　because　its　users　have　no　way　to　actually　own　this　use-value.　To　assess　the　value　of　renewable　electricity　and　obtain　information　on　consumer　preferences,　this　study　estimated　the　willingness　to　pay　(WTP)　of　Beijing　residents　for　renewable　electricity　by　employing　the　contingent　valuation　method　(CVM)　and　identified　the　factors　which　affect　their　WTP.　The　survey　randomly　selected　700　participants,　of　which　571　questionnaires　were　valid.　Half　of　respondents　were　found　to　have　positive　WTP　for　renewable　electricity.　The　average　WTP　of　Beijing　residents　for　renewable　electricity　is　estimated　to　be　2.7-33　US$　(18.5-22.5CNY)　per　month.　The　main　factors　affecting　the　WTP　of　the　respondents　included　income,　electricity　consumption,　bid　and　payment　vehicle.　Knowledge　of　and　a　positive　attitude　towards　renewable　energy　also　resulted　in　the　relatively　higher　willingness　of　a　respondent　to　pay　for　renewable　electricity.　The　proportion　of　respondents　replying　＂yes＂　to　WTP　questions　using　a　mandatory　payment　vehicle　was　slightly　higher　than　that　for　questions　using　a　voluntary　vehicle.　Lastly,　several　policy　implications　of　this　study　are　presented.　(C)　2013　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.