Repository of the Research Institute of Agricultural Economics

The Contribution of Biorefineries to Rural Development: The Case of Employment in Hungary

Heijman, Wim and Szabó, Zoltán and Veldhuizen, Esther (2019): The Contribution of Biorefineries to Rural Development: The Case of Employment in Hungary. Studies in Agricultural Economics, 121 (1). pp. 1-12. ISSN 2063-0476

[img]
Preview
PDF
Download (990kB) | Preview

Abstract

Most recent research concerning biofuels focuses on their potential for mitigating climate change, while their rural development dimension is given less prominence. Ongoing policy debates, including EU and US biofuel policies, pay little attention to this feature of the industry. This paper explores the impact of biorefineries on rural development, and employment in particular. It shows that biorefineries can have a considerable economic impact on the regions in which they are located. Embedded in the local social and economic fabric, the paper demonstrates their influence on regional and national labour markets. The case of a bioethanol plant in Hungary and its effect on the rural labour market in two counties of the country is studied by way of an input-output model. The research has found that the operation of a biorefinery stimulates the creation and maintenance of jobs in both farming and service industries. Results suggest that biorefineries are an important driver of rural development and that this aspect of the industry should be given greater weight in formulating biofuel policies.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: JEL classifications: Q16, Q57
Uncontrolled Keywords: Biofuels, Biofuel Policies, Ethanol, Rural Development, Input-Output Analysis, Employment
Subjects: UNSPECIFIED
Depositing User: Attila Vrana
Date Deposited: 20 Mar 2019 12:16
Last Modified: 17 Apr 2019 10:49
URI: http://repo.aki.gov.hu/id/eprint/3346

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item