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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Intent To Continue Growing Switchgrass As A Dedicated Energy Crop: A Case Study Of Switchgrass Producers In East Tennessee, Jessica Elise Fox Aug 2010

Intent To Continue Growing Switchgrass As A Dedicated Energy Crop: A Case Study Of Switchgrass Producers In East Tennessee, Jessica Elise Fox

Masters Theses

Efforts to reduce the United States’ dependence on foreign petroleum encourage the production of fuels from bioenergy crops. Recent energy mandates have therefore “opened doors” for alternative feedstock sources for ethanol production. Switchgrass is a candidate feedstock. Under the University of Tennessee’s Biofuels Initiative, the University of Tennessee, partnering with DuPont-Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC, contracted for the production of switchgrass with local farmers to guarantee biomass feedstock supply for an ethanol conversion research facility. This study used methods borrowed from the social psychology literature in combination with economic theory to analyze factors influencing switchgrass farmers’ intentions to continue growing switchgrass …


Classification Of Ethanol Consumers And Willingness To Pay For Reductions In Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Purchases Of E85, Adrienne Elizabeth Marra Aug 2010

Classification Of Ethanol Consumers And Willingness To Pay For Reductions In Greenhouse Gas Emissions Through Purchases Of E85, Adrienne Elizabeth Marra

Masters Theses

In recent years, the issues of energy dependency and renewable energy options have gained recognition with not only policy-makers but also mainstream consumers. Understanding consumer beliefs and preferences related to these issues is therefore relevant as innovative renewable energy markets have the potential to change conventional consumer purchasing decisions. This paper investigates the beliefs and behaviors of U.S. consumers related to E85 ethanol from corn and cellulosic feedstocks. Four distinct market segments are created so that the ethanol market can be investigated more in-depth. Overall familiarity with ethanol as an alternative fuel is high; however, individual segments vary on beliefs …


Economic Impacts Of Production, Storage, Transport, And Conversion Of Switchgrass For Cellulosic Ethanol In Tennessee, Adam David Fulton May 2010

Economic Impacts Of Production, Storage, Transport, And Conversion Of Switchgrass For Cellulosic Ethanol In Tennessee, Adam David Fulton

Masters Theses

The goal of this study is to evaluate the introduction of cellulosic ethanol conversion plants using switchgrass as the feedstock and how it impacts the economies of two Tennessee regions. Switchgrass feedstock production, storage, and transportation costs are estimated for one plant in West Tennessee and one plant in East Tennessee. In each region, the location for a cellulosic ethanol conversion plant and the acreage required to meet a 61.8 million-gallon/year capacity are specified. The costs associated with switchgrass production and cellulosic ethanol conversion are then entered into IMPLAN to estimate the economic impacts of one cellulosic ethanol plant in …