Title: Integrated evaluation of biofuel production options in agriculture: an exploration of sustainable policy scenarios

Authors: Adele Finco; Deborah Bentivoglio; Peter Nijkamp

Addresses: Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie Alimentari Ambientali (3A) – Universitù Politecnica delle Marche, Agricultural and Resource Economics, via Brecce Bianche 60131, Ancona, Italy. ' Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie Alimentari Ambientali (3A) – Universitù Politecnica delle Marche, Agricultural and Resource Economics, via Brecce Bianche 60131, Ancona, Italy. ' Department of Spatial Economics, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, VU University, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract: This paper addresses the future potential of biofuel production in agriculture, with a particular view to its implementation in agriculture in Europe. After a brief account of recent developments, an exploratory meta-analysis is presented in order to assess the effectiveness of biofuel production from the perspective of several relevant policy criteria. Next, various scenarios are outlined and evaluated by means of a multi-criteria analysis, so as to judge the feasibility of various biofuel production options. The paper concludes with some policy lessons.

Keywords: biofuels; meta-analysis; multi-criteria analysis; sustainability criteria; greenhouse gases; land use; energy balance; biofuel production; policy scenarios; Europe; Marche; Italy; foresight; innovation policies; agriculture; sustainable development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJFIP.2012.046109

International Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy, 2012 Vol.8 No.2/3, pp.173 - 188

Published online: 21 Nov 2014 *

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