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Presentation
Arbitrage between ethanol and gasoline: evidence from motor fuel consumption in Brazil
Economics Presentations, Posters and Proceedings
  • Sebastien Pouliot, Iowa State University
Document Type
Presentation
Conference
Agricultural and Applied Economics Association 2013 Annual Meeting
Publication Version
Submitted Manuscript
Publication Date
1-1-2013
Conference Title
2013 AAEA & CAES Annual Meeting
Conference Date
August 4-6, 2013
Geolocation
(38.9071923, -77.03687070000001)
Abstract

Unlike regular cars, ex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) allow motorists to fuel on motor blends that contain between zero and one hundred percent of ethanol. This paper investigates how motorists arbitrage between hydrous ethanol and gasoline using aggregate fuel consumption data in Brazil. The ability of FFV motorists to arbitrage between fuel blends shapes of aggregate demands for hydrous ethanol and gasoline. I estimate using nonlinear seemingly unrelated regressions the demands for hydrous ethanol and gasoline in Brazil, and motorists preferences for hydrous ethanol. I find that on average, accounting for the relative energy contents of the two fuels, FFV motorists in Brazil slightly discount hydrous ethanol over gasoline. Most consumers switch between fuels when their relative prices are at near parity. I find that 20% of consumers still purchase hydrous ethanol when its price is about 10% above the price of gasoline. The distribution of preferences is not symmetric as 20% of consumers still purchase gasoline when there is a 15% discount on the price of hydrous ethanol.

Comments

This is a Selected Paper prepared for presentation at the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association’s 2013 AAEA & CAES Annual Meeting, Washington DC, August 4-6, 2013.

Rights
Copyright 2013 by Sébastien Pouliot. All rights reserved. Readers may make verbatim copies of this document for non-commercial purposes by any means, provided this copyright notice appears on all such copies.
Copyright Owner
The Authors
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Sebastien Pouliot. "Arbitrage between ethanol and gasoline: evidence from motor fuel consumption in Brazil" Washington, D.C.(2013) p. 1 - 35
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/sebastien-pouliot/22/