Renewable resources and land use (NaRoLa) - Integration of bioenergy into a sustainable energy strategy

Partners: Institute of Rural Studies of the Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute and the University of Bonn

The project NaRoLa (Renewable Resources and Land Use - Integration of bioenergy into a sustainable energy strategy) is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. Project partners of the Kiel Institute are the Department of Environmental and Resource Economics at the University of Bonn and the Institute of Rural Studies at the Federal Agricultural Research Centre. The aim of the project is to get a better understanding of the economy-wide effects of bioenergy use as well as of the land use conflicts resulting from the cultivation of energy plants. The main research focus will be on Germany, though international economic feedback effects will be taken into account. Research questions deal with the impact of bioenergy on sectoral production, factor and (especially agricultural) commodity prices and welfare. Due consideration will be given to the environmental consequences of increased bioenergy production. Another focus is the assessment of biofuel support policies as part of the European climate policy. To answer these questions, an integrated modelling approach has been chosen that combines the following models: The computable general equilibrium model DART of the IfW will be coupled with the regionalized agricultural and environmental information system RAUMIS, which maps in detail the German agricultural sector and its land use. A newly developed location choice model for bioenergy plants will be linked to complete the integrated modelling system. The results received based on this modelling process shall then serve to formulate policy advice on the integration of bioenergy into a sustainable energy system.

Contact: Bettina Kretschmer and Sonja Peterson 
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