IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/kitiip/333903.html

A georeferenced agent-based model for farmer's decision-making to adopt biorefineries

Author

Listed:
  • Heck, Raphael
  • Hahn, Paul
  • Schultmann, Frank

Abstract

The transition to a sustainable bioeconomy represents a crucial strategy for mitigating climate change and reducing dependence on fossil resources. Central to this strategy is the development of bio-based alternatives through innovative technologies, such as biorefineries. The success of this transition, however, depends on farmers' adoption of these technologies. The factors influencing their decision to participate or not are complex and not fully understood. This study developed and analysed an agent-based model that integrates georeferenced data on biomass availability with socio-economic factors driving farmers' willingness to participate in a biorefinery operating system. The model uses spatial and sectoral data sources to simulate farmer interactions, decision-making processes, and the formation of cooperative biorefinery operating systems in a spatially explicit environment. The results show that cooperation is a prerequisite for establishing comprehensive industrial production of bio-based platform chemicals in decentralized integrated biorefineries. Key barriers to adoption extend beyond techno-economic feasibility and include social factors that together influence a farmer's willingness to participate in novel bioeconomy value creation networks. The model also highlights a first-mover advantage for early adopters, as they have better access to the limited amount of biomass and cooperation partners. The findings of this study suggest that policy interventions should prioritize improving information flow and facilitating coordination among farmers to translate biorefinery potential into widespread practice, as these measures are expected to enhance technology adoption.

Suggested Citation

  • Heck, Raphael & Hahn, Paul & Schultmann, Frank, 2025. "A georeferenced agent-based model for farmer's decision-making to adopt biorefineries," Working Paper Series in Production and Energy 77, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Industrial Production (IIP).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:kitiip:333903
    DOI: 10.5445/IR/1000187812
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/333903/1/1945879653.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.5445/IR/1000187812?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Venus, Terese E. & Strauss, Felix & Venus, Thomas J. & Sauer, Johannes, 2021. "Understanding stakeholder preferences for future biogas development in Germany," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    2. Xie, Yuanchang & Zhao, Kaiguang & Hemingway, Shaun, 2010. "Optimally Locating Biorefineries: A GIS-Based Mixed Integer Linear Programming Approach," 51st Annual Transportation Research Forum, Arlington, Virginia, March 11-13, 2010 207234, Transportation Research Forum.
    3. Kirchherr, Julian & Reike, Denise & Hekkert, Marko, 2017. "Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 221-232.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pina Puntillo, 2023. "Circular economy business models: Towards achieving sustainable development goals in the waste management sector—Empirical evidence and theoretical implications," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(2), pages 941-954, March.
    2. Tina Wiegand & Martin Wynn, 2023. "Sustainability, the Circular Economy and Digitalisation in the German Textile and Clothing Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-30, June.
    3. Canessa, Carolin & Venus, Terese E. & Wiesmeier, Miriam & Mennig, Philipp & Sauer, Johannes, 2023. "Incentives, Rewards or Both in Payments for Ecosystem Services: Drawing a Link Between Farmers' Preferences and Biodiversity Levels," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    4. German Arana‐Landin & Waleska Sigüenza & Beñat Landeta‐Manzano & Iker Laskurain‐Iturbe, 2024. "Circular economy: On the road to ISO 59000 family of standards," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(3), pages 1977-2009, May.
    5. Abdulmajeed Almadhi & Abdelhakim Abdelhadi & Rakan Alyamani, 2023. "Moving from Linear to Circular Economy in Saudi Arabia: Life-Cycle Assessment on Plastic Waste Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, July.
    6. Hu, Xueyue & Wang, Chunying & Elshkaki, Ayman, 2024. "Material-energy Nexus: A systematic literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    7. Sergio Cappucci & Serena Nappi & Andrea Cappelli, 2022. "Green Public Areas and Urban Open Spaces Management: New GreenCAL Tool Algorithms and Circular Economy Implications," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-25, June.
    8. Monia Niero & Charlotte L. Jensen & Chiara Farné Fratini & Jens Dorland & Michael S. Jørgensen & Susse Georg, 2021. "Is life cycle assessment enough to address unintended side effects from Circular Economy initiatives?," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(5), pages 1111-1120, October.
    9. Flavio Eduardo Fava & Lucílio Rogério Aparecido Alves & Thiago Libório Romanelli, 2025. "Economic Feasibility and Decarbonization Incentives of Sugarcane Biogas Production Pathways," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-17, February.
    10. Thomas Dobbelstein & Carina Lochner, 2023. "Factors influencing purchase intention for recycled products: A comparative analysis of Germany and South Africa," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(4), pages 2256-2277, August.
    11. Ahmed Ashraf Zaidi & Rahul Chandra, 2025. "A Study on Indian Consumers’ Willingness to Participate in Circular Fashion Through Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) Approach of Multi-criteria Decision Making and Binomial Logistics Regression," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 5(4), pages 3401-3429, August.
    12. Jaroslaw Golebiewski & Josu Takala & Oskar Juszczyk & Nina Drejerska, 2019. "Local contribution to circular economy. A case study of a Polish rural municipality," Economia agro-alimentare, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 21(3), pages 771-791.
    13. E. Ertugrul Karsak & Ece Ucar, 2025. "Circular economy performance assessment of countries using a common-weight DEA-based approach," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(12), pages 30995-31013, December.
    14. Letícia Salazar Serra & Solange Alfinito, 2025. "Consumer Behavior in the Circular Economy: A Systematic Review of High-impact Studies," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 5(6), pages 5315-5349, November.
    15. Risa Arai & Martin Calisto Friant & Walter J. V. Vermeulen, 2024. "The Japanese Circular Economy and Sound Material-Cycle Society Policies: Discourse and Policy Analysis," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(1), pages 619-650, March.
    16. Naila Erum & Kazi Musa & Saira Tufail & Jamaliah Said & Nor Balkish Zakaria, 2025. "Impact of the circular economy on human development: evidence from Germany," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(12), pages 30385-30410, December.
    17. Franco Fassio & Chiara Chirilli, 2023. "The Circular Economy and the Food System: A Review of Principal Measuring Tools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, June.
    18. S. Bhattacharya & R. Ajwani-Ramchandani & Shishir Kumar Jha & C.J. Chiappetta Jabbour & V.G. Venkatesh, 2023. "Prologue for the Virtual Special Issue on Social Circular Consumption- Exploring the Role of the Bottom of Pyramid," Post-Print hal-04458204, HAL.
    19. Eugenia Rossi di Schio & Vincenzo Ballerini & Jan Kašpar & Manuela Neri & Mariagrazia Pilotelli & Edoardo Alessio Piana & Paolo Valdiserri, 2024. "Applicability of Face Masks as Recyclable Raw Materials for Self-Made Insulation Panels," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-15, March.
    20. Mădălina Tocan & Oana Chindriș-Văsioiu, 2024. "Circular And Green Economy – A Comparative Analysis Of The Current State In Romania And In The Eu," Global Economic Observer, "Nicolae Titulescu" University of Bucharest, Faculty of Economic Sciences;Institute for World Economy of the Romanian Academy, vol. 12(1), pages 95-105, June.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:zbw:kitiip:333903. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.iip.kit.edu/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.