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The Trade-off Between Bioenergy and Emissions When Land Is Scarce

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  • Kauffman, Nathan S.
  • Hayes, Dermot J.

Abstract

Agricultural biofuels require the use of scarce land, and this land has opportunity cost. We explore the objective function of a social planner who includes a land constraint in the optimization decision to minimize environmental cost. The results show that emissions should be measured on a per acre basis. Conventional agricultural life cycle assessments for biofuels report carbon emissions on a per gallon basis, thereby ignoring the implications of land scarcity and implicitly assuming an infinite supply of the inputs needed for production. Switchgrass and corn are then modeled as competing alternatives to show how the inclusion of a land constraint can influence life cycle rankings and alter policy conclusions.

Suggested Citation

  • Kauffman, Nathan S. & Hayes, Dermot J., 2011. "The Trade-off Between Bioenergy and Emissions When Land Is Scarce," 2011 Annual Meeting, July 24-26, 2011, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 103246, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
  • Handle: RePEc:ags:aaea11:103246
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.103246
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    Keywords

    Agricultural and Food Policy; Environmental Economics and Policy;

    JEL classification:

    • Q16 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - R&D; Agricultural Technology; Biofuels; Agricultural Extension Services
    • Q48 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Government Policy

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