[Project goal]:
Economic analysis of biomass systems
[Abstract]:
An integrated analysis of land use, biomass systems, conversion of materials and energy in various cascades of the production and consumption chains and the barriers for the implementation of efficient systems can contribute to a better understanding of the possibilities for multifunctional biomass. So far, most studies have only focused on the analyses of electricity production from biomass form specific crops dedicated to the production of electricity. In the present study the focus is on efficient use of biomass in the full chain of primary production, conversion, consumption, re-use and recycling in various cascade of materials and energy. [Aim]: to contribute to the design and evaluation of multifunctional biomass system for low carbon energy supply in North Western Europe. The project focuses on the (macro-)economic analysis of alternative systems, in particular on the implications for land use and agricultural production in Europe and the substitution possibilities between various materials and energy produced by means of multifunctional biomass systems based on cascading of energy and materials. [Research]: Research questions in the project are: - What are the economic characteristics of multifunctional biomass systems in Europe in the future and what are the implications for land use and conventional agriculture if large-scale applications of these systems are introduced? - What are the options for substitution of traditional materials for materials derived from biomass and what are the implications of this type of substitution for energy demand and net carbon emissions? - How can alternative systems for multifunctional biomass be compared to conventional energy supply systems in terms of their economic and environmental performance? - Which socio-economic barriers exist for the implementation of sustainable and efficient multifunctional biomass systems?
[Keywords]:
biomass cascading, biomass competition, land use modelling |
