Essays on the microeconomics of bioenergy

This thesis explores the microeconomics of bioenergy with focus on Brazil. The three chapters are interconnected by this thread. The first chapter investigates empirically land use patterns for liquid biofuels production in Brazil using the neoclassical land use model. It analyzes the determinants of sugarcane and soybean production location. The second chapter inquire empirically, using regional variables, location and capacity decision drivers for ethanol and biodiesel mills in Brazil. The third chapter proposes a microeconomic framework for modeling several types of bioenergy production. It provides a definition of bioenergy clusters and tests it employing statistical cluster analysis considering three different bioenergy production chains.