My research is focused on three areas: (i) agriculture, food and ecosystem services; (ii) energy; and (iii) sustainable production including clean and green technologies. Applications can be found in Western European and low and middle income countries. 

Examples of papers analyzing the ‘agriculture and food and ecosystem services’ socio-technical system:

  • Van Passel, S., Nevens, F., Mathijs, E., Van Huylenbroeck, G. 2007. Measuring farm sustainability and explaining differences in sustainable efficiency, Ecological Economics 62: 149-16 (IF: 1.55)
  • de Mey, Y., Wauters, E., Schmid, D., Lips, M., Vancauteren, M., Van Passel, S. 2016. Farm household risk balancing: empirical evidence from Switzerland. European Review of Agricultural Economics. 43: 637-662 (IF: 1.54)
  • Vanschoenwinkel, J., Mendelsohn, R., Van Passel, S. 2016. Do Western and Eastern Europe have the same Agricultural Climate Response? Taking Adaptive Capacity into account. Global Environmental Change 41: 74-87 (IF: 5.68)
  • Moretti, M., Vanschoenwinkel, J., Van Passel, S. Accounting for externalities in cross-sectional economic models of climate change impacts. Ecological Economics 185: 107058 (IF: 5.39)
  • Bjornavold, A., David, M., Bohan, D.A., Gibert, C., Rousselle, J.-M., Van Passel, S. 2022. Why does France not meet its pesticide reduction targets? Farmers’ socio-economic trade-offs when adopting agro-ecological practices Ecological Economics 198: 107440 (IF: 6.54)

Examples of papers analyzing the ‘energy’ socio-technical system:

  • Maes, D., Van Passel, S. 2012. Interference of regional support policies on the economic and environmental performance of a hybrid cogeneration-solar panel energy system. Energy Policy 42: 670-680 (IF: 2.74)
  • Lizin, S., Van Passel, S., De Schepper, E., Maes, W., Lutsen, L., Manca, J. Vanderzande, D. 2013. Life cycle analyses of organic photovoltaics: a review. Energy & Environmental Science, 2013, 6, 3136-3149 (IF: 15.49)
  • De Schepper, E., Van Passel, S., Lizin, S., Vincent, T., Martin, B., Gandibleux, X. 2016. Economic and environmental multi-objective optimization to evaluate the impact of Belgian policy on solar power and electric vehicles. Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy 5: 1-27
  • Milis, K., Peremans, H., Springael, J., Van Passel, S. 2019. Win-win possibilities through capacity tariffs and battery storage in microgrids. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews 113 109238 (IF: 12.11)
  • Sauve, G., Esguerra, J.-L., Laner, D., Johansson, J., Svensson, N., Van Passel, S., Van Acker, K. 2023. Integrated early-stage environmental and economic assessment of emerging technologies and its applicability to the case of plasma gasification. Journal of Cleaner Production 382: 134684 (IF: 11.07) 

Examples of papers analyzing the ‘sustainable production & Cleantech’ socio-technical system:​

  • Van Passel, S., Dubois, M., Eyckmans, J., de Gheldere, S., Ang, F., Jones, P.T., Van Acker, K. 2013. The economics of enhanced landfill mining: private and societal performance drivers. Journal of Cleaner Production 55: 92-102 (IF: 3.59)
  • Thomassen, G., Van Dael, M., You, F., Van Passel, S. 2019. A multi-objective optimization-extended environmental techno-economic assessment: Exploring the optimal microalgal-based value chain. Green Chemistry 21: 5945-5959 (IF: 9.48)
  • Einhäupl, P., Krook, J., Svensson, N., Van Acker, K., Van Passel, S. 2019. Eliciting Stakeholder Needs – An Anticipatory Approach Assessing Enhanced Landfill Mining. Waste Management 98: 113-125 (IF: 5.45)
  • ​Larrain, M., Van Passel, S., Thomassen, G., Kresovic, U., Alderweireldt, N., Moerman, E., Billen, P. 2020. Economic performance of pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste: open-loop versus closed-loop recycling. Journal of Cleaner Production 270, 122442 (IF: 9.30)
  • Larrain, M., Billen P., Van Passel, S. 2022. The effect of plastic packaging recycling policy interventions as a complement to extended producer responsibility schemes: a partial equilibrium model. Waste Management 153:355-366 (IF: 7.15)

Examples of papers in low and middle income countries analysing these socio-technical systems:

  • Gezahegn, T.W., Van Passel, S., Berhanu, T., D’Haese, M., Maertens, M. 2019. Big is Efficient: Evidence from Agricultural Cooperatives in Tigray Region, North Ethiopia. Agricultural Economics 50: 555-566 (IF: 2.26)
  • Annys, S., Van Passel, S., Dessein, J., Adgo, E., Nyssen, J. 2020. From fast-track implementation to livelihood deterioration: the dam-based Ribb Irrigation and Drainage Project in northwest Ethiopia. Agricultural Systems 184: 102909 (IF: 5.37)
  • Hugé, J., Rochette, A. J., de Béthune, S. Parra Paitan, C.C., Vanderhaegen K., Vandervelden, T., Van Passel, S., Vanhove, M.P.M., Verbist, B., Verheyen, D., Waas, T., Janssens de Bisthoven, L. 2020. Ecosystem services assessment tools for African Biosphere Reserves: a review and user-informed classification. Ecosystem Services 42: 101079 (IF: 5.46)
  • ​Srivastava, A., Van Passel, S., Valkering, P., Laes, E.J.W. 2021. Power outages and bill savings: A choice experiment on residential demand response acceptability in Delhi. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 143: 110904 (IF: 14.98)
  • Fitawok, M.B., Derudder, B., Minale, A.S., Van Passel, S., Adgo, E., Nyssen, J. 2022. Analyzing the impact of land expropriation program on farmers' livelihood in urban fringes of Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. Habitat International 129: 102674 (IF: 5.21)