Optimizing the Location of Biomass Energy Facilities by Integrating Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

Heesung Woo; Mauricio Acuna; Martin Moroni; Mohammad Sadegh Taskhiri; Paul Turner

doi:10.3390/f9100585

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Optimizing the Location of Biomass Energy Facilities by Integrating Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Optimizing the Location of Biomass Energy Facilities by Integrating Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)

Heesung Woo, Mauricio Acuna, Martin Moroni, Mohammad Sadegh Taskhiri and Paul Turner

Forests, Vol.9(10), 585

2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/f9100585

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Abstract

biomass supply chain optimization

facility location

multi-criteria analysis

analytic hierarchy process

GIS

Tasmania

Australia

Internationally forest biomass is considered to be a valuable renewable energy feedstock. However, utilization of forest harvesting residues is challenging because they are highly varied,generally of low quality and usually widely distributed across timber harvesting sites. Factors related to the collection, processing and transport impose constraints on the economic viability of residue utilization operations and impact their supply from dispersed feedstock locations. To optimize decision-making about suitable locations for biomass energy plants intending to use forest residues, it is essential to factor in these supply chain considerations. This study conducted in Tasmania, Australia presents an investigation into the integration of Multi-criteria analysis (MCA) and Geographical Information systems (GIS) to identify optimal locations for prospective biomass power plants. The amount of forest harvesting biomass residues was estimated based on a non-industrial private native resource model in Tasmania (NIPNF). The integration of MCA and a GIS model, including a supply chain cost analysis, allowed the identification and analysis of optimal candidate locations that balanced economic, environmental, and social criteria within the biomass supply. The study results confirm that resource availability, land use and supply chain cost data can be integrated and mapped using GIS to facilitate the determination of different sustainable criteria weightings, and to ultimately generate optimal candidate locations for biomass energy plants. It is anticipated that this paper will make a contribution to current scientific knowledge by presenting innovative approaches for the sustainable utilization of forest harvest residues as a resource for the generation of bioenergy in Tasmania.

Details

Title: Optimizing the Location of Biomass Energy Facilities by Integrating Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
Authors: Heesung Woo (Author) - University of Tasmania
Mauricio Acuna (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts, Business and Law
Martin Moroni (Author) - Private Forests Tasmania
Mohammad Sadegh Taskhiri (Author) - University of Tasmania
Paul Turner (Author) - University of Tasmania
Publication details: Forests, Vol.9(10), 585; 15
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date published: 2018
DOI: 10.3390/f9100585
ISSN: 1999-4907
Copyright note: Copyright © 2018 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; Forest Industries Research Centre; Forest Research Institute
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99451451402621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Forestry

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