Atmospheric Emissions from Forest Biomass Residues to Energy Supply Chain: A Case Study in Portugal

Abstract

During the past decades, pressures on global environment and energy security have led to an increasing demand on renewable energy sources and diversification of the world's energy supply. The Portuguese energy strategy considers the use of Forest Biomass Residues (FBR) to energy as being essential to accomplish the goals established in the National Energy Strategy for 2020. However, despite the advantages pointing to FBR to the energy supply chain, few studies have evaluated the potential impacts on air quality. In this context, a case study was selected to estimate the atmospheric emissions of the FBR to the energy supply chain in Portugal. Results revealed that production, harvesting, and energy conversion processes are the main culprits for the biomass energy supply chain emissions (with a contribution higher than 90%), while the transport processes have a minor importance for all the pollutants. Compared with the coal-fired plants, the FBR combustion produces lower greenhouses emissions, on a mass basis of fuel consumed; the same is true for NO X and SO 2 emissions.

A sustainable cross-efficiency DEA model for international MSW-to-biofuel supply chain design

“…Initially, the first generation biomass (some materials used as food) was used to generate sustainable energy; during 2000-2011 the biofuel production from such materials as corn, sugar cane, and starch increased in the world by almost 13.8%, most of which was related to the US and Brazil [31]. Because of food security, after a while, the use of the first-generation biomass was banned, causing a considerable reduction of the production of biofuels from it [26]. The second generation biomass includes agricultural wastes like corn pods, Switchgrass, Miscanthus, and Jatropha which are largely found in the municipal waste.…”