The economic impacts of land use changes associated with switchgrass-based ethanol production in Oklahoma

cope and Method of Study: According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Oklahoma may have the potential to produce up to 700 million gallons of cellulosic ethanol by 2022. However, the production of switchgrass could significantly affect the agricultural landscape in Oklahoma. This paper investigates the economic implications of potential land use changes associated with switchgrass-based ethanol production on local communities in Oklahoma. The IMPLAN input-output model was used for the economic impacts analysis.;Findings and Conclusions: The results show that producing switchgrass on traditional croplands for energy purposes will have positive impacts on the local economy. Under the first plant scenario, results indicate that producing switchgrass for 50 MGY plant will generate a total effect of about 188 jobs. The total effects increase as the number of plant increases and the total effects will reach 2,129 jobs at the ninth plant scenario. Results also show a net improvement of the labor income. Labor income varies from...