Biofuels supply chains: sustainability and entrepreneurship in local agricultural systems

Investments in bio-energies require deep and accurate analysis to evaluate their economical feasibility both by the investors’ and the policy makers’ perspectives. The chance to attain locally organized supply chains is presumably higher where there is a higher concentration of human, natural and financial capitals. After a literature review about social capital and energy supply chain (prg.1), we investigate the instruments for public direct financial incentive (prg.2) and the development of the public intervention plans in the agro-energy sector within the Local Development Plans (LDP) by Local Action Groups (LAG). Then, we present the case study of the Apulia Region (prg.3) based upon a unique dataset specifically built that collects LDP data relative to social capital. We finally propose a new methodological approach that makes use of social network analysis investigating the net of relationships underneath the territorial organization of the LAGs and the local supply chains. Results seem to show that site specificities affect the sustainability of biofuels supply chains, and that effects seems to be reciprocally bounded, thus calling for the inclusion of such measures when planning new policies, and for analytical approaches encompassing historical perspectives. Finally, we draw the conclusions.