Regional determinants of biogas production units setup: Evidence from France

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to analyze the regional determinants of biogas production units’ creation in French metropolitan NUTS-3 regions from 2012 to 2020. The theoretical framework combines two approaches stemming from evolutionary economic geography and social/local governance literature, exploring the regional factors that can foster the setup of biogas plants in France. Results suggest that 1) the setup of biogas plants is positively influenced by a technological advantage in biotech and waste management in regions, as well as in agri-food; 2) socio-economic and geographic factors contribute to their development; and 3) different factors related to the rural and urban characteristics of regions have differential impacts on their setup.