A model for sustainable land use in biofuel production: An application to the state of Alabama

The Renewable Fuel Standard aims to increase the production of biofuels to improve energy efficiency and decrease carbon dioxide emissions in the US. The effectiveness of this regulation is being debated by the scientific community regarding carbon emissions from direct and indirect land-use change. A valid alternative may be to design policies that stimulate sustainable land use in biofuel production. This article develops a model that simulates a voluntary program to increase the land use efficiency in production of biofuels. This stochastic dynamic model optimizes the sustainability of biofuels producible by including climate information and participatory decisions on land use. The model is parameterized using the Maximum Entropy econometric technique to present a simulation of the program in the State of Alabama. The results of this simulation show that participatory decisions on land-use may increase the net energy value of produced biofuel up to 215.68% and reduce the carbon emissions by 19.67% towards the state energy goals.

► We develop a dynamic model that optimizes the land-use efficiency of biofuels. ► This model simulates the impact of a voluntary program on sustainability of biofuels. ► Entropy econometrics are used to calibrate the model for the state of Alabama. ► Participatory decisions on land-use may increase producible bioenergy in the state. ► A sustainability program may reduce carbon emissions in biofuel production.