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This study investigates the effect of global competitiveness determinants on the growth of the bioenergy industry in the European Union (EU-28) region from 1990-2018. Applying the panel fixed effect model, the results revealed that the bioenergy industry grows with an increase in the global competitiveness index. While human capital, innovation ecosystem, markets, enabling environment, and gross domestic product found to be increasing the growth. The finding implies that the growth of the bioenergy industry in EU-28 developed countries can be effectively strengthened by improving the quality of human capital and enabling environment. Also, the result implies that the growth of the bioenergy industry in EU-28 developing countries can effectively improve by increasing the quality innovations system and markets. These will eventually contribute to tackling global warming and environmental pollution. The estimated results are considered robust as validated by panel random effect and pooled Ordinary Least Squares estimators. The study recommends for EU-28 countries to increase the efficiency of global competitiveness indicators to achieve social and environmental objectives. Policymakers should also invest more in global competitiveness factors to increase the supply and accessibility of bioenergy output. The authorities of these countries can equally emphasize on efficiency and sustainability of global competitiveness decomposition to achieve energy security and reduce dependency on fossil fuel.

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In recent years, the bioenergy industry has been gaining recognition among renewable energy sources in many countries, specifically in the EU28 member states, the unified green energy legislation in which the bioenergy industry is a significant player in achieving several climate and energy efficiency goals. This research investigated the total factor productivity (TFP) of the bioenergy industry in the European Union during the period 1990-2018, using the Malmquist productivity index of the data envelopment analysis method. More so, this article estimates the economic factors of TFP, where a panel regression analysis framework was applied. The empirical results indicate that capital input, labor input, size of raw biomass, and investment influence on the TFP of the bioenergy industry of the European Union during the observed period. However, the labor input has the highest effect on TFP, followed by investment compare. The findings of the study suggest that regulators should focus more on research and development so labor augmentation and other input variables can further improve the TFP of the bioenergy industry.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate the profit efficiency of bioenergy industry and its determinants in EU28 region roadmaps for the transition towards energy efficiency which is increasingly perceived by stakeholders, researchers and the public as a pathway to bring dependency on fossil resources to a significant reduction. Many studies overlooked the importance of profit efficiency as a factor for bioenergy industry business improvement. More so, external environmental variables can play a key role in achieving profit efficiency in the industry. Design/methodology/approach This paper seeks to answer the questions on the following: (1) the profit efficiency level using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach in the EU28 region during the period between 1990 and 2018; and (2) to explore the impacts of external environmental variables on the profit efficiency level using panel regression model in the EU28 region during the period between 1990 and 2018. Findings Results revealed that gross domestic product, size of biomass and investment are essential for the development of the bioenergy industry and positively influence on profit efficiency level. The increase in temperature change decreased the profit efficiency level during 1990–2018. Research limitations/implications For those profit-inefficient bioenergy industries in countries such as Cyprus and Ireland, participation in innovative programs, expanding a knowledge-based economic system and implementation of support policy for bioenergy technologies, by investing in biomass sources that are suitable for their respective renewable energy development will enhance specialization, resource efficiency and improved profitability can be expected in future. Originality/value Unlike other previous studies, this study investigated the profit efficiency by applying the DEA statistical method. Moreover, the authors have applied a second regression analysis to estimate the impacts of macroeconomic and microeconomic variables on the profit efficiency level. This study has focused on the EU28 region, including both developed and developing countries, to compare the level of profit efficiency levels in the selected sample. The authors have applied data panel analysis for the period from 1990 to 2018. No previous study has applied the methods, samples and periods as those used in this study. Therefore, this study contributes significantly to the bioenergy industry specifically and the renewable energy industry in general and to the associated extant research.