Optimizing Biomass Supply Chains to Power Plants under Ecological and Social Restrictions: Case Study from Poland

Jan Banaś (), Katarzyna Utnik-Banaś and Stanisław Zięba
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Jan Banaś: Department of Forest Resources Management, University of Agriculture in Kraków, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland
Katarzyna Utnik-Banaś: Department of Management and Economics of Enterprises, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
Stanisław Zięba: Department of Forest Resources Management, University of Agriculture in Kraków, al. 29 Listopada 46, 31-425 Kraków, Poland

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-15

Abstract: The growing demand for social and regulatory forest ecosystem services can significantly modify the availability and cost of biomass for energy purposes. This article presents a model for optimizing biomass supply chains using a linear programming framework integrated with a geographic information system (GIS). Based on a given type of biomass resource, its calorific value, price, distance from the power plant, and transportation costs, the model identifies the optimal source of biomass, allowing it to cover the demand for the required total energy value with the lowest possible costs. The case study includes the Połaniec power plant in southeastern Poland and potential sources of forest biomass and agricultural straw within 100 km of the plant. The impact of constraints on the availability and cost of biomass was analyzed in the following scenarios: (1) all forest and agriculture biomass is available, (2) forest area in Natura 2000 network is excluded, and (3) firewood and forests with dominated ecological and social function are excluded. Unit costs of biomass varied depending on biomass availability and energy demands. The lowest unit costs of biomass (3.19 EUR/MJ) were for energy demand at the level of 1 TJ yearly for all kinds of biomass and the highest (4.91 EUR/MJ) for ecological and social constraints and energy demand 4 TJ. As energy demand increased, unit costs increased, and the ability to meet this demand with just one type of biomass decreased. The energy biomass sector can utilize the model to benefit both biomass producers and their final buyers.

Keywords: biomass; bioenergy; forest residues; renewable energy sources; GIS; linear programming; biomass restrictions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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