Abstract
This work presents ideas to underpin efforts to leverage the production of large volumes of agro-biomass and biofuels from transition economies in transition (EiTs) in Central and Eastern Europe with a key focus being co-benefits offered by agro-biofuel production. It departs in recognition of significant institutional barriers to establishment of dedicated plantings; the need for bioenergy within energy security strategies; and large demand growth projections for biomass trade. The paper takes context from EiT countries such as Poland, Ukraine, (Euro)-Russia, Belarus and Moldova where challenges in the areas of energy security, unemployment, transportation, municipal services, and rural depopulation are common. Agricultural biofuel production is held to offer several socio-economic co-benefits that can contribute to the alleviation of such challenges, particularly in rural areas. As co-benefits have been demonstrated in developed countries, this paper seeks to extend their relevance to the EiT context. Then it examines how co-benefits might be leveraged to provide both the stimulus required for large-scale plantings. However, we note that modern biofuels agriculture can have drawbacks that need to be carefully monitored and that such countries still confront many challenges imposed by their embedded social structures and institutions.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | [Host publication title missing] |
Publisher | ETA-Florence Renewable Energies |
Number of pages | 9 |
Publication status | Published - 2008 |
Event | Proceedings of the 16th European Biomass Conference & Exhibition: From research to industry and Markets, 2-6 June 2008, - Feria Valencia, Spain Duration: 2008 Jun 2 → … |
Conference
Conference | Proceedings of the 16th European Biomass Conference & Exhibition: From research to industry and Markets, 2-6 June 2008, |
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Country/Territory | Spain |
City | Feria Valencia |
Period | 2008/06/02 → … |
Subject classification (UKÄ)
- Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Free keywords
- agriculture
- socio-economic aspects
- rural development
- energy crops
- bioenergy strategy