Modeling the importance of biomass qualities in biomass supply chains for bioenergy production

Abstract

A tactical-operational level quantitative model can be an important decision support tool for bioenergy producers. Goal programming approach can help analyze the costs and volume implications of various competing goals in terms of biomass characteristics on part of the bioenergy producers. One cost and six quality characteristics goals, namely moisture and ash contents, and thermal values of two types of biomass (forest harvest residue and un/under-utilized species) are selected for the four bioenergy producers in northwestern, Ontario, Canada. We run four models cenarios: i) benchmark total cost and ceilings of mean values of six biomass qualities (Initial Goals), ii)relaxing the quality goals by 10% from the Initial Goals scenario, iii) increasing the conversion efficiency by 10%, and iv) all goals as in Initial Goals except the Atikokan Generating Station (AGS)being supplied with only un/under-utilized biomass. The smaller power plants have relatively less per unit biomass procurement cost. While per unit procurement costs increased, the total costs and biomass volume required to produce the same amount of bioenergy for each power plant decreased in all scenarios compared to the benchmark costs. The goal programming approach, and the results thereof are found to be useful in making effective decisions in the biomass supply chains for bioenergy production.