Motivated by repeated price spikes and crashes over the last decade, we investigate whether the growing market shares of futures speculators destabilize commodity spot prices. We approximate conditional volatility and analyze how it is affected by speculative open interest. In this context, we...

Conversion of biomass to electricity is often not economically feasible as a result of large transportation costs and low output prices. We build a model of an adaptable biorefinery situated at an agri-processing facility that already has biomass on-site and consider the optimal scale of the...

An extension of the Guerrero et al. (2010) net present value (NPV) analysis using real options analysis (ROA) is offered to improve machinery replacement decisions. Specifically, the feasibilities of replacing natural gas irrigation systems with either electric or hybrid (electric/wind) systems...

The debate over privatizing and water markets has moved back and forth for decades between the "I" and the "We" perspectives. Rather than either/or, a balanced "I&We" view of water institutions is needed. West is meeting east in water law. Public interest needs must be satisfied in appropriate...

As the hunt for renewable energy sources from agriculture intensifies, many agricultural producers are contemplating what crops to grow in the foreseeable future. On the one hand, there are traditional food crops, such as soybean, corn, and wheat, which have recently enjoyed a spike in prices,...

The economic competitiveness of biobased industries is discussed by comparing the South relative to other regions of the United States and biomass as a feedstock source relative to fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum. An estimate of the biomass resource base is provided. Estimated changes in...

Regional water scarcity has motivated the South Central Texas Regional Water Planning Group to actively develop water management plans to address long-/short-term regional water needs. This study, therefore, develops an integrated Edwards Aquifer groundwater and river system simulation model to...

Two seemingly unrelated topics are discussed- an outlook for biofuels in the southern United States, along with an overview of the important role that information technology is playing in the fuel ethanol industry. The outlook discussion is limited to issues involving the two principal biofuels,...

This article presents current investment and operating costs of ethanol and biodiesel plants for alternative prices of feedstock. The price of these two fuels is estimated for alternative prices of crude oil with the existing renewable fuels policy. The excise tax credit, currently $0.51 per...