The Effects of Local Biomass Availability and Possibilities for Truck and Train Transportation on the Greenhouse Gas Emi
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The Effects of Local Biomass Availability and Possibilities for Truck and Train Transportation on the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of a Small-Diameter Energy Wood Supply Chain E. Jäppinen & O. -J. Korpinen & T. Ranta
Published online: 18 August 2012 # Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012
Abstract The work presents a method of assessing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of forest-based biomass supply chains on a site-specific level. The method includes biomass availability and transportation network assessments based on geographical information system data, and GHG emission assessment based on life-cycle assessment methods. The GHG assessment takes into account distances traveled on the various types of road by trucks. Two case studies are presented, with 720 TJyear−1 of small-diameter energy wood chips delivered to two locations in Finland: Mikkeli and Rovaniemi. In the case studies, possibilities for train transportation from distant supply areas were included. Regarding railway transportation, it was assumed that the end-points have direct railway connections. The case study results show that if direct truck transportation around the plants were supplemented with one trainload per week (230 TJyear−1) from suitably located railway loading points, GHG emission savings of 8 % could be achieved in both cases. The most GHG-efficient supply chains around the railway loading points were found to be based on transportation of loose trees to the loading spots. Because of better biomass availability and better roads, the emissions of the least GHG-emitting supply chain were 9 % lower in Mikkeli’s case than for Rovaniemi. The results indicate that site-specific biomass availability and transportation possibilities should be taken into account in assessment of the GHG emissions of a particular biomass supply chain. Also, if suitable conditions exist, railway transportation offers potential for reduced supply-chain GHG emissions.
Keywords Biomass . Geographical information system (GIS) . Life-cycle assessment (LCA) . Transportation . Railway . GHG emissions
Introduction The European Union (EU) has set a target of 20 % of the EU’s gross energy consumption needs being met via renewable energy sources in 2020 [1]. In 2008, the figure was 10.3 % [2]. Wood fuel use in power plants plays a major role in reaching of this ambitious target. Between 2010 and 2020, wood fuel use in the power plant sector is expected to increase threefold, with expected wood fuel use of 242 million msolid3 (1.85 EJ1) in 2020 [3]. This would account for 16 % of all renewable energy production in the EU. Given that wood energy use in power plants will play an increasingly important role in energy generation in the EU, the issues of the efficiency and emissions derived from wood fuel supply chains need to be addressed accordingly. In 2010, the European Commission (EC) presented a report [4] in which it recommended that the Member States introduce requirements in their national sustainability programs for solid and gaseous2 biomass, as utilized in the po
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