Building Energy Opportunity with a Supply Chain Based on the Local Fuel-Producing Capacity

Flavio Andreoli Bonazzi, Sirio R.S. Cividino, Ilaria Zambon, Enrico Maria Mosconi and Stefano Poponi
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Flavio Andreoli Bonazzi: EPICO Biomass Ltd, Viale Degli Ammiragli 67, I-00136 Rome, Italy
Sirio R.S. Cividino: Department of Agriculture, University of Udine, Via delle Scienze 206, I-33100 Udine, Italy
Ilaria Zambon: Department of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (DAFNE), Tuscia University, Via San Camillo de Lellis, I-01100 Viterbo, Italy
Enrico Maria Mosconi: Department of Economics, Engineering, Society and Business Organization, Tuscia University, Via del Paradiso 47, I-01100 Viterbo, Italy
Stefano Poponi: Department of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences (DAFNE), Tuscia University, Via San Camillo de Lellis, I-01100 Viterbo, Italy

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 7, 1-15

Abstract: Studying and modeling plants for producing electric power obtained from vegetal wood cellulose biomass can become an opportunity for building a supply chain based on the local fuel-producing capacity. Focusing on energy-producing technologies, such as pyrolysis or gasification, the present work assessed the amount of vegetal biomass that may be used as fuel, both in terms of actual availability and supply price, in the Province of Rieti (Italy). The aim is to draw up a supply plan that has an intrinsic relationship with the local area. The results confirmed a production of 24 MW of project thermal power and 4 MW of project electric power. The ensuing plant was then studied following current norms about renewable energy, environmental consistency, and atmospheric emissions. An economic analysis of the cost investment was also carried out, where the total return is approximately of 19%. The results exposed that plant costs are acceptable only if short-supply chain fuel is purchased. The costs of generating energy from agroforestry biomass are certainly higher; however, the plant represents a significant territorial opportunity, especially for the economic sectors of agriculture and forestry. The employment effect plays a central role in the concession process, which is relevant for the interaction among renewable energy production and agriculture. The environmental impact of a biomass plant from agroforestry residues can be measured exclusively on atmospheric emissions: the plant must be placed in industrial areas without any landscape or naturalistic value.

Keywords: supply chain; biomass; energy; sustainable development (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 (5)

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