Journal article
Optimizing the Location of Biomass Energy Facilities by Integrating Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) and Geographical Information Systems (GIS)
Forests, Vol.9(10), 585
2018
Abstract
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 TasmaniaMauricio Acuna (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Arts, Business and LawMartin Moroni (Author) - Private Forests TasmaniaMohammad Sadegh Taskhiri (Author) - University of TasmaniaPaul 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; 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
- Research Statement
- false
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