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The Economics of Oil, Biofuel and Food Commodities

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  • BAHEL, Eric
  • MARROUCH, Walid
  • GAUDET, Gérard

Abstract

We study the effects on the food market of the introduction of biofuels as a substitute for fossil fuel in the energy market. We consider a world economy with an oil cartel and a competitive fringe of farmers producing energy in the form of biofuels. Farmers also produce food and sell it on the world food market. We determine the resulting relationship between prices in the energy and food markets and characterize the cartel's extraction path and the price path of energy. We show that the price of food will be growing as long the oil stock is being depleted, whether population is growing or not, and that it will keep growing after the oil stock is exhausted if population is growing. An analysis of the effects of the productivity of land use in either the food or the biofuel sectors is carried out.

Suggested Citation

  • BAHEL, Eric & MARROUCH, Walid & GAUDET, Gérard, 2011. "The Economics of Oil, Biofuel and Food Commodities," Cahiers de recherche 02-2011, Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en économie quantitative, CIREQ.
    • Handle: RePEc:mtl:montec:02-2011
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Quentin Grafton, R. & Kompas, Tom & Van Long, Ngo, 2012. "Substitution between biofuels and fossil fuels: Is there a green paradox?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 328-341.
    2. repec:eee:eneeco:v:80:y:2019:i:c:p:777-792 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Nachtigall, Daniel & Rübbelke, Dirk, 2016. "The green paradox and learning-by-doing in the renewable energy sector," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 74-92.
    4. Tokic, Damir, 2015. "The 2014 oil bust: Causes and consequences," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 162-169.
    5. repec:eee:eneeco:v:66:y:2017:i:c:p:559-570 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Amigues, Jean-Pierre & Moreaux, Michel, 2018. "Competing Land Uses and Fossil Fuel, Optimal Energy Conversion Rates During the Transition Toward a Green Economy Under a Pollution Stock Constraint," TSE Working Papers 18-981, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    7. Hoel, Michael & Sletten, Thea Marcelia, 2016. "Climate and forests: The tradeoff between forests as a source for producing bioenergy and as a carbon sink," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 112-129.
    8. Ngo Van LONG, 2014. "The Green Paradox under Imperfect Substitutability between Clean and Dirty Fuels," Cahiers de recherche 02-2014, Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en économie quantitative, CIREQ.
    9. Nachtigall, Daniel & Rübbelke, Dirk, 2016. "The green paradox and learning-by-doing in the renewable energy sector," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 74-92.
    10. R. Quentin Grafton & Tom Kompas & Ngo Van Long, 2010. "Biofuels Subsidies and the Green Paradox," CESifo Working Paper Series 2960, CESifo Group Munich.
    11. R. Quentin Grafton & Tom Kompas & Ngo Van Long, 2010. "Do Biofuel Subsidies Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions?," International and Development Economics Working Papers idec10-01, International and Development Economics.
    12. repec:aes:amfeco:v:21:y:2019:i:50:p:75 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Dohnal, Mirko, 2016. "Complex biofuels related scenarios generated by qualitative reasoning under severe information shortages: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 676-684.
    14. repec:aud:audfin:v:21:y:2019:i:50:p:75 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Lotfali Agheli, 2016. "Demand for Natural Gas in Food and Beverage Industries of Iran," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 6(3), pages 588-593.
    16. Jevgenijs Steinbuks & Thomas Hertel, 2016. "Confronting the Food–Energy–Environment Trilemma: Global Land Use in the Long Run," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 63(3), pages 545-570, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Biofuel; Oil depletion; population growth; energy price; food price;

    JEL classification:

    • Q30 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - General
    • Q24 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Land
    • Q42 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Energy - - - Alternative Energy Sources

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