Environmental Efficiency Among Corn Ethanol Plants

Juan Sesmero (), Richard Perrin and Lilyan Fulginiti

No 130167, 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil from International Association of Agricultural Economists

Abstract: This study evaluates the environmental efficiency of seven recently constructed ethanol plants in the North Central region of the U.S., using nonparametric data envelopment analysis (DEA). Environmental efficiency is measured and decomposed into its technical and allocative sources. Results show that, on average, plants in our sample may be able to reduce GHG emissions by a maximum of 6% or by 3,116 tons per quarter. The economic (shadow) cost of reducing greenhouse gas emissions reveals that, at current activity levels, plants may have room for simultaneous improvement of environmental efficiency and economic profitability.

Keywords: Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies; Resource/Energy Economics and Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 38
Date: 2012
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eff and nep-env
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Environmental Efficiency Among Corn Ethanol Plants (2010)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:iaae12:130167

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.130167

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