Integrated Green Energy Solutions, Volume 1

13Energy Availability and Resource Management: Case Study

Shanmugha S. and Milind Shrinivas Dangate*

Chemistry Division, School of Advance Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai, India

Abstract

This chapter empirically investigates how peer effects and resource availability influence a producer’s choice to adopt a resource-conserving irrigation technology using data from the Trifa Plain of Morocco. These results demonstrate the potential impact of conservation policies that incentivize individuals to account for resource scarcity via pricing or other resource management policies on the adoption of efficiency-enhancing technologies. More specifically, our results suggest that drip irrigation subsidy rates that vary according to resource availability could potentially increase drip irrigation adoption rates among the least resource constrained individuals. Future research should investigate how the source of water available to producers influences the likelihood of engaging in pro-conservation behaviour and adopting an efficiency enhancing irrigation technology.

Keywords: Energy policies, impact on energy policies, drip irrigation, energy management, pro-conservation of energy sources, efficient irrigation technologies

13.1 Introduction

A growing world population and changing climate place increasing pressure on agricultural production and scarce water resources. Promoting the adoption of efficient irrigation technologies is a favoured policy option to conserve ...