Consumer preferences for second-generation bioethanol

Tongzhe Li and Jill McCluskey

Energy Economics, 2017, vol. 61, issue C, 1-7

Abstract: This study investigates the consumer responses toward fuel from second-generation, nature-inspired lignocellulose processing systems. Data was collected via in-person consumer surveys across in three major U.S. cities with two different information treatments. A dichotomous-choice contingent valuation methodology is utilized to estimate consumers' willingness to pay for this product and analyze factors that affect consumer choice. The results suggest that the average respondent was willing to pay an 11% premium for second-generation nature-inspired bioethanol compared to conventional fuel. The willingness to pay was the highest in Portland, Oregon (17%), followed by Minneapolis (9%) and then Boston (8%). Driving distance was found to have a negative effect on consumer willingness to pay. Consumers who purchase more organic foods were more willing to pay a premium for the product. Risk attitude had heterogeneous effects in different locations. The effect of information regarding the second-generation, nature-inspired lignocellulose process was found to be significantly positive.

Keywords: Consumer preferences; Second-generation bioethanol; Contingent valuation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C25 C83 D12 Q16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988316303048
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
Working Paper: Consumer Preferences for Second-Generation Bioethanol (2014)
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:61:y:2017:i:c:p:1-7

DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2016.10.023

Access Statistics for this article

Energy Economics is currently edited by R. S. J. Tol, Beng Ang, Lance Bachmeier, Perry Sadorsky, Ugur Soytas and J. P. Weyant

More articles in Energy Economics from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().