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The Economics of Mitigation of Water Pollution Externalities from Biomass Production for Energy

Author

Listed:
  • Naveen Adusumilli

    (Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, 262 Research Station Drive, Bossier City, LA 71112, USA)

  • Taesoo Lee

    (Department of Geography, Chonnam National University, Buk-Gu, Gwangju 500-757, Korea
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • M. Edward Rister

    (Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University, 600 John Kimbrough, 2124 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2124, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Ronald D. Lacewell

    (Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University, 600 John Kimbrough, 2124 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-2124, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

To fulfill the national bioenergy goals of the United States, conversion of marginal lands to intensive biomass crop production and/or application of greater amounts of nutrients to existing cropland could be expected. Such change in agricultural practices could produce unintended environmental consequences such as water quality degradation. Select Best Management Practices (BMPs) are evaluated for water quality mitigation effectiveness as well as for their relative cost-effectiveness, issues that are often ignored in evaluation of biofuels as a sustainable solution for energy demand. The water quality impacts of converting pastureland to intensive biomass production for biofuel, evaluated using the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), indicate significant increases in erosion and nutrient loadings to water bodies. Hydrologic and economic evaluation of the BMPs indicate their implementation produced effective water pollution mitigation but at substantial costs, accentuating the sustainability issue related to the economics of renewable fuels. U.S. national energy policy designed around achieving energy independence should also consider environmental and economic trade-offs for biofuels to be an economically and environmentally sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.

Suggested Citation

  • Naveen Adusumilli & Taesoo Lee & M. Edward Rister & Ronald D. Lacewell, 2014. "The Economics of Mitigation of Water Pollution Externalities from Biomass Production for Energy," Resources, MDPI, vol. 3(4), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jresou:v:3:y:2014:i:4:p:721-733:d:43201
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. McLaughlin, Will & Conrad, Ann & Rister, M. Edward & Lacewell, Ronald D. & Falconer, Lawrence L. & Blumenthal, Juerg M. & Rooney, William L. & Sturdivant, Allen W. & McCorkle, Dean A., 2011. "The Economic and Financial Implications of Supplying a Bioenergy Conversion Facility with Cellulosic Biomass Feedstocks," 2011 Annual Meeting, February 5-8, 2011, Corpus Christi, Texas 98809, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
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    Cited by:

    1. Flavio Borfecchia & Paola Crinò & Angelo Correnti & Anna Farneti & Luigi De Cecco & Domenica Masci & Luciano Blasi & Domenico Iantosca & Vito Pignatelli & Carla Micheli, 2020. "Assessing the Impact of Water Salinization Stress on Biomass Yield of Cardoon Bio-Energetic Crops through Remote Sensing Techniques," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-27, October.
    2. Lyu Zhichen & Zhu Xuantong, 2019. "Energy Utilization Potential of Wheat Straw in an Ecological Balance—A Case Study of Henan Province in China," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-13, February.

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