A System Dynamics Approach to Comparative Analysis of Biomass Supply Chain Coordination Strategies

Biomass is one of the most efficient renewable energy sources to increase energy security and reduce the environmental issues. It could be utilised as back-up or main source of energy in off-grid remote northern communities of Canada, which are currently rely on fossil-fuels. However, small scale of energy demand, necessity of continuous energy supply, and spatial dispersion of such remote communities restrict the competitiveness and efficiency of bioenergy. Managing bioenergy supply chain from supplying biomass to conversion facilities is vital to overcome the challenges in expanding bioenergy production. In this sense, forming collaboration among the entities plays a key role to improve the economy of scale and efficiency of bioenergy production. In the literature, several coordination strategies resulted in varying impacts on entities’ profit or cost. As such, analyzing and comparing them in various conditions could assure selecting the most efficient one. This study recommends quantity discounts and cost-sharing coordination policies to promote the biomass level at communities in a cost-efficient manner through establishing bundling orders and benefiting the lower cost. This dissertation employs a system dynamics approach to simulate coordination scenarios and make the optimal decisions in a biomass supply chain including suppliers, hubs, and end-user. On that basis, performing a comparative analysis under various conditions and assumptions provide insights into the impact of coordination and selecting the preferred choice of coordination strategy for each player. The simulation-based optimization model is applied to a bioenergy supply chain case study in Canada’s off‐grid northern communities. The results of this research point to a significant role of coordination in improving the cost efficiency as well as the level of biomass-based energy production

Aplicação da teoria de custo de transação: o caso da Yser Green Energy SA

Acknowledge the beneficial effects on the environment by replacing fossil fuels with wood pellets, this study aims, in the context of a pellet producer, to analyse the transaction costs of the entire process of working the entire process for biomass transformation in pellets, from raw materials to processing. This study analyses the value chain of the company, applying the Transaction Cost Theory and trying to understand if there is a viable application and what are the transaction costs present in the company. The results of this study agree with others carried out under the same theme, supporting the viability of vertical integration and the sustainability of the pellet production industry.Adquirindo os efeitos benéficos ao meio ambiente substituindo combustíveis fósseis por pellets de madeira, este projeto visa, no contexto de um produtor de pellets, analisar os custos de transação de todo o processo de trabalho de todo o processo na empresa para a transformação de biomassa em pellets, desde a matérias-prima até ao seu processamento. Este estudo analisa a cadeia de valor da empresa, aplicando a Teoria dos Custos de Transação e tentando entender se existe uma aplicação viável e quais os custos de trnsação presentes na empresa. Os resultados deste estudo vão ao encontro de outros realizados dentro do mesmo tema, apoiando a viabilidade da integração vertical e a sustentabilidade da industria de produção de pellets.Mestrado em Economi

Rural biomass energy 2020: People's Republic of China

The developing world is looking for effective, creative ideas for upscaling clean, renewable energy. No place will gain more socially, economically, and environmentally from increased access to clean, reliable energy than poor, rural areas. Biomass energy, produced from animal and crop wastes, is a sensible renewable energy option for rural areas and it can be cost-effective at community and industry scales if guided effectively by governments. This publication explores the potential of biomass energy to close the urban–rural energy gap, raise farmer incomes, and mend the environment in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Its findings are instructive for other developing and medium-income countries exploring energy-for-all strategies. The report examines the promises and limitations of leading biomass energy technologies and resources for various distribution scales, including but not limited to household biogas digesters. The information is based on lessons learned and experiences from the Asian Development Bank–financed Efficient Utilization of Agricultural Wastes Project in the PRC, as well as findings and conclusions from a technical assistance grant to assist the government draft a national strategy for developing rural biomass energy.rural biomass energy; rural development; biomass resources; biomass technologies; China

Financing future-proof local bioenergy: lessons learnt from mentoring of SME pilot projects. WP5 Final report

This deliverable D5.3 is the final report of the activities within WP5 led by UPC, from September 2016 to July 2018.The European bioenergy sector requires a wide promotion for strong investments in regional sustainable supply chain solutions. SMEs are central in the value chain in local bioenergy markets, as they are operating throughout all the stages of bioenergy mobilisation, from forestry management to energy plants or even energy commercialisation to final consumers. One of the major barriers that SMEs face when assessing potential bioenergy operations is the difficulty to access adequate financing; WP5 within project SECURECHAIN aims to analyse such difficulties and contribute to overcome them. The specific objectives of WP5 are: • O5.1 Carry out targeted market feasibility surveys, pre-checks and develop a risk assessment tool to support the implementation of priority SSCM pilot projects • O5.2 Mentor companies’ capital call strategies tailored to investor types and upgrade corporate finance disclosing in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) • O5.3 Foster lobbying actions and dialogue between financial players and bioenergy market actors to promote the portfolio of investment proposals This deliverable D5.3 is the final report of the activities within WP5, mainly about period 2 from September 2016 to July 2018. The market pre-check (T5.1) was carried out in phase 1 and reported in deliverable D5.1. The risk assessment analysis (T5.2) performed, the continuous financial mentoring (T5.3) being worked out with the SME business projects, and the roadshows (T5.4) that have been attended, as well as planning activities that were performed during the final year of the project, are documented in this report.Preprin

Integrated Functional Sanitation Value Chain

The value chain (VC) system is a key way to address important sanitation technological and institutional gaps in production and service delivery and could constitute a natural platform for development actions and also serve as a market systems approach to improve access to safely-managed sanitation. It has been suggested that sanitation could boost local and national economies and global interconnections with a growing recognition that the private sector can play a bigger role in delivering the Sustainable Development Goal for sanitation, and help businesses understand value-added and product opportunities. This book proposes a pathway towards re-thinking the sanitation value chain (SVC) and suggests that it should cover all processes, activities and products of enterprises/actors in the sanitation supply chain that provide value-added services within each stage. Following the Regenerative Sanitation Principles, this book presents a new perspective to the SVC known as the 'integrated functional sanitation value chain' (IFSVC) to address operational functions within sanitation systems in combination with sanitation enterprises, operators and external actors that support the growth of the sanitation economy. The underlying premise of this book is that the IFSVC represents a new perspective that would have major social, environmental and economic implications for local, national, regional and global sanitation service delivery. It is hoped that researchers, business leaders, entrepreneurs, government officials and funders will find this book valuable, and be inspired and enabled to carry sanitation work forward in their own spheres of operation. The book gives several examples of encouraging developments, particularly in technical and business model innovation. It is our hope that this book will provide the stimulus for new learning and its application, particularly through cross-disciplinary and cross-sector partnerships that bring together all the skills and capabilities needed to deliver a fully effective IFSVC

Multiple criteria decision analytical tools in assessing risk for green growth: the case of oil palm biomass in Malaysia

The heightening world issues arises from climate change and energy security has created a strong resonance for sustainable development. The utilisation of biomass resources is amongst one of the best strategies to counter carbon emission and energy security issues for waste-to-wealth. Over the last decade, the Malaysian government has shown its clear intent to be a front-runner in the green economy through its various green economy policies and programs, particularly focus on oil palm biomass industry. However, it is observed that the diffusion rate of the industry remains relatively slow as compared to other developing countries such as Thailand and Philippine. Literature, anecdotal evidence, and advocates as well as businesses have identified that one of the non-technical factors that contribute to this problem is financing difficulties. The complication of biomass value chain creation often engaged with high risk profile, capital intensive and long payback period which is unfavourable for financing based on conventional risk assessment. Thus, this research focusses on developing a full range risk assessment model in aiding the industry stakeholder to comprehend the risk profile in managing and mitigating risk in biomass value chain in Malaysia. Multiple decision analytical tools have been employed and developed to integrate non-quantitative factors in risk assessment and design risk mitigation strategy based on the strengths and preferences of different stakeholders’ role. The outputs can serve as policy recommendation to aid the authorities and policy makers to undertake policy reviews to effectively spur the biomass industry for green growth. Furthermore, financier and investor are recommended to utilise the information to enhance its financing decision, to offer financial products that customised the need of sustainable projects without losing great business opportunity. Last but not least, the framework also offers industry stakeholders a practical decision analysis and making tool to integrate preferences as well as quantitative information to mitigate risks before any losses in venturing into the biomass industry occurred

A hydrogen framework for the East Midlands

Profiles capabilities in midlands-based organisations in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies as a rationale for support of a Midlands hydrogen cluster