Biofuel from Balanites aegyptiaca: Optimization of the Feedstock Supply Chain

Linda Dominique Fabiola Bambara, Marie Sawadogo, Daniel Roy, Didier Anciaux, Joël Blin and Salifou Koucka Ouiminga
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Linda Dominique Fabiola Bambara: Laboratoire Biomasse Energie et Biocarburants, Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement, Ouagadougou 01 BP 594, Burkina Faso
Marie Sawadogo: Laboratoire Biomasse Energie et Biocarburants, Institut International d’Ingénierie de l’Eau et de l’Environnement, Ouagadougou 01 BP 594, Burkina Faso
Daniel Roy: Laboratoire de Génie Industriel, de Production et de Maintenance, Université de Lorraine, 57000 Metz, France
Didier Anciaux: Laboratoire de Génie Industriel, de Production et de Maintenance, Université de Lorraine, 57000 Metz, France
Joël Blin: UPR Biomasse-Energie, CIRAD, 34000 Montpellier, France
Salifou Koucka Ouiminga: Laboratoire de Physique et de Chimie de l’Environnement, Université Ouaga 1 Professeur Joseph KI-ZERBO, Ouagadougou 03 BP 7021, Burkina Faso

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 12, 1-15

Abstract: In arid and semi-arid climates, Balanites aegyptiaca ( B. aegyptiaca ) is a potential plant to produce oilseed-based biofuels. In this paper an optimization model for a wild biomass supply chain is presented. The model was developed to identify the optimal organization of the supply network that minimizes the cost of supplying the feedstock. It was applied to a case study on a B. aegyptiaca seed supply chain in Burkina Faso. Considering different means of transport and different pre-processing locations, the results show that in contexts such as Burkina Faso’s, the most efficient option for the supply of B. aegyptiaca seeds is using animal drawn carts to transport the biomass from the harvest sites to the collection points. Feedstock pre-processing should take place before transport and an improvement in pre-processing operations by mechanical de-hulling could help reduce the cost price of the seeds. The results also show that more than 35% of the cost price of B. aegyptiaca seed is accounted for by transport costs. Pre-processing, handling, and storage costs account for about 50% of the cost of the seeds.

Keywords: biofuel; Balanites aegyptiaca; biomass supply chain; pre-processing; optimization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:12:p:4501-:d:186482

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