SOCIO-ECONOMIC MULTIPLIER MODEL FOR RURAL DIVERSIFICATION THROUGH BIOMASS ENERGY DEPLOYMENT

Objective

There is a clear need to quantify the knock-on effects of bioenergy schemes in rural depressed areas. Bioenergy schemes represent opportunities for European agriculture to diversify into new markets that will create new and additional employment in rural communities. This will also aid in increasing farming incomes and will act as a lever for other investment and contribute to the development of associated commercial and industrial activities. For instance, transport infrastructure and specialist machinery manufacturers will benefit from increased business. This will in turn create additional spending in the community and further add to the knock-on effects.
The objective of this proposal is to develop a quantitative model to analyse the socioeconomic impacts of bioenergy deployment through rural diversification and to measure the distribution of benefits and costs of policy packages, particularly the CAP. The BIOSEM model - Biomass Socio-Economic Multiplier Model, will be a facilitator for the organisation and analysis of already existing data so that the employment and income benefits from bioenergy development and deployment in rural areas can be measured.
The model will simulate the interaction between agricultural crops, biomass production, energy production and other sectors of the economy.
The main aim of this proposal is the development of the BIOSEM model. This will allow:
- the estimation of the direct and indirect knock-on effects on employment, income, local services and government revenue created by various phases of the deployment of bioenergy schemes in the participating European countries;
- the identification of depressed rural areas that would benefit from bioenergy deployment;
- recommendations for CAP policy reform to assist and promote rural diversification through bioenergy schemes.
BIOSEM will assist policy makers to site energy crop production and
processing plants and to identify where to target investment so as to get the highest production response or optimal income distribution effects in all the participating European countries.
BIOSEM will help policy makers identify recommendations for rural policy and CAP reform and assist rural diversification through bioenergy deployment based on the results of BIOSEM model simulations.

Fields of science

• agricultural sciences › agriculture, forestry, and fisheries › agriculture
• social sciences › economics and business › business and management › employment
• agricultural sciences › agricultural biotechnology › biomass

Programme(s)

• FP4-FAIR - Specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of agriculture and fisheries (including agro-industry, food technologies, forestry, aquaculture and rural development), 1994-1998

Topic(s)

• 4.3.2 - Biomass production (food, feed, non-food and energy uses)

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CON - Coordination of research actions

Coordinator

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA)

Address

Harwell Laboratory
OX11 0RA Didcot
United Kingdom

Participants (8)

AGENCE DE L'ENVIRONNEMENT ET DE LA MAITRISE DE L'ENERGIE

France

Address

Rue Louis Vicat, 27
75737 Paris

CENTRE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Greece

Address

19th Km Marathonos Av.
190 09 Pikermi - Attiki

DUQUESNE LTD.

Ireland

Address

Merrion Square 4
2 Dublin

Facultes Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix

Belgium

Address

Rempart De La Vierge 8
5000 Namur

Italian Biomass Association

Italy

Address

Via Archimede 161
00197 Roma

LEI-DLO - AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS RESEARCH INSTITUTE

Netherlands

Address

Burgemeester Patijnlaan, 19 - P.o. Box 29703
2502 LS Den Haag

SWEDISH NATIONAL BOARD FOR INDUSTRIAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT

Sweden

Address

Liljeholmsvägen, 32
117 86 Stockholm

Universität Hohenheim

Germany

Address

70593 Stuttgart

Links