Evaluating the macroeconomic impacts of bio-based applications in the EU

Edward Smeets (), Cristina Vinyes (), Andrzej Tabeau (), Hans Meijl, Corjan Brink () and Anne Gerdien Prins ()
Additional contact information
Edward Smeets: Wageningen UR - LEI
Cristina Vinyes: European Commission JRC, https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/index_en
Andrzej Tabeau: Wageningen UR - LEI
Corjan Brink: PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
Anne Gerdien Prins: PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency

No JRC91385, JRC Research Reports from Joint Research Centre

Abstract: In 2012, the European Commission (EC) launched the Bioeconomy Strategy and Action Plan with the objective of establishing a resource efficient and competitive society that reconciles food security with the sustainable use of renewable resources. This report contributes to the plan by evaluating the macroeconomic impacts of bio-based applications in the EU. Such effects can only be evaluated with a computable general equilibrium model such as MAGNET. Four bio-based applications are considered, namely biofuel (second generation), biochemicals, bioelectricity, and biogas (synthetic natural gas). This is done assuming that 1 EJ lignocellulose biomass is converted into fuel, chemicals, electricity and gas and that the final product replaces an equal amount of conventional (e.g. fossil energy) product (on energy basis). The results show that given the assumed efficiency of conversion technology, costs of conversion, biomass price and oil price, the production of second generation biofuel and biochemicals are the only competitive sectors compare to their conventional counterparts in the year 2030 for the EU. In the case of the fuel sectors, it represents a net GDP effect of 5.1 billion US$ while biochemicals generates 6 billion US$. A substantial part of this impact can be explained by the increase in wages, since the production of biomass is relatively labour intensive. The resulting increase in wages is transmitted to other sectors in the economy and increases production and consumption. Another important contributor is the lower oil and fuel price as a result of the substitution of oil based fuel production by bio-based fuel production, which in turn benefits the entire economy.

Keywords: Bio-based; bio-energy; EU; Computable general equilibrium (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C68 Q17 Q18 Q20 Q42 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 46 pages
Date: 2014-11
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ene
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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