Title: The agricultural demand for electricity in the United States

Authors: Noel D. Uri, Mohinder Gill

Addresses: Commodity Economics Division, Economic Research Service, FEB/CEDIERS (Rm 1124), US Department of Agriculture, 1301 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA. ' Commodity Economics Division, Economic Research Service, FEB/CEDIERS (Rm 1124), US Department of Agriculture, 1301 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20005, USA

Abstract: This study looks at how farmers adjust their consumption of electricity in response to changes in the price of energy. A demand model is specified and estimated. The conclusions suggest that the price of electricity is a factor impacting the quantity of electricity demanded by farmers for irrigation and for other (non-irrigation) uses, but there is no indication that other types of energy are substitutes for electricity. Additionally, the number of acres irrigated is an important factor driving the demand for electricity for irrigation and the number of acres planted is a factor determining the demand for electricity for other uses. Finally, the estimated models of electricity for irrigation and electricity for other uses are structurally stable over the period 1971-1992.

Keywords: agricultural demand; energy prices; energy policy; United States; USA; energy demand; agriculture; energy consumption; farmers; demand modelling; electricity; irrigation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGEI.1995.063494

International Journal of Global Energy Issues, 1995 Vol.7 No.5/6, pp.302-313

Published online: 15 Jul 2014 *

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