FOREST BIOENERGY ADOPTION FOR A RISK‐AVERSE LANDOWNER UNDER UNCERTAIN EMERGING BIOMASS MARKET

Abstract This paper examines a land use problem where a risk‐averse representative landowner is uncertain about the timing and extent of a future biomass market emergence. The risk‐averse landowner is expected to maximize his or her expected utility of net present value from three land uses: agriculture, conventional forestry, and bioenergy forestry. Varying land quality, expected price jumps, and the timing of biomass market emergence are incorporated into the analysis. Under constant risk aversion, the simulation results show that the level of risk aversion has a significant influence on land allocation. The analysis also includes a discussion of how transaction costs affect land use change. The results offer insights into policy making for promoting forest bioenergy market development.