Modelling the macroeconomic impacts of algae production
Grant Allan, a post doc at University of Strathclyde is nvestigating the potential economic and social impacts of biofuels from marine algae.
I am working on developing multi-sectoral economic models for each of the geographic regions forming the focus of the BioMara project, and am investigating the potential economic and social impacts of biofuels from marine algae in these areas. To date, we have used a model of the Western Isles area to examine the potential economic impacts of macroalgae production, and are currently expanding this application to examine alternative impacts from different uses of the macroalgae, and alternative scales of macroalgae production in the area. This will include alternative scenarios in which households, or the local community, rather than firms, take ownership stakes in elements of the production process. The supply chain for biofuels production and algae will be an important factor for the wider economic impacts, and our work has begun to identify the key areas for the regional economies in securing economic developments from macroalgae production.
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