BIOMASS SELECTION TOOLKIT Building Sustainable Biomass to BioHydrogen Chains ΠΑΡΑΓΩΓΗ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΑΧΕΙΡΙΣΗ ΕΝΕΡΓΕΙΑΣ ΒΙΟΜΑΖΑ

WHY a “Biomass Selection Tool”? The existence of a large variety of potential feedstocks, in conjunction with a large number of possible pretreatment/hydrolysis/refining processes, resulting in a very high population of feedstock/process combinations, all leading to the same target biofuel; The feasibility and viability of these multiple feedstock-process pathways can be characterized by many types of technological, economic, environmental, social and other parameters, typically expressed in different, sometimes even incompatible ways. The demand for a scientifically sound (i.e., not empirical), methodologically consistent (i.e., not eclectic), and uniform (i.e., not opportunistic) approach of all possible biomass-to-biohydrogen systems, by which the decision maker could “navigate” across such a complex landscape.

COST SUSTAINABILITY TECHNICAL SUITABILITY FEEDSTOCK SELECTION

COST SUSTAINABILITYTECHNICAL SUITABILITY FEEDSTOCK SELECTION

Biomass Technical Suitability Index (BTSI)

Biomass Cost Index (BCI)

C=C A +C B +C C C A : Primary biomass production cost (e.g., for energy crops) or opportunity cost (e.g., for agricultural and agro-industrial residues [in €/ t or GJ of carbohydrate (carb) contained in the biomass]. The data for the quantification of this cost component are found in the literature, the available expertise, and actual market prices according to the current agricultural and agro-industrial practices. C B : Feedstock transport and handling cost [in €/ t or GJ carb]. The figures for this cost category can be obtained from the particular supply chain arrangement, biomass logistics, and current market prices for transport costs. C C : Feedstock pretreatment cost [in €/t or GJ carb]. Determining this cost component depends on the relative refining difficulty of each type of feedstock according to their composition, available experimental data, as well as on engineering design methods. It is further assumed that biomass feedstocks can be categorised into 5 different types according to their refining potential, i.e.,

Biomass Cost Index (BCI)

BSI-A: Preserving the stock of vital natural resources. Sustainability of biomass based fuel systems requires that in biomass production erosion and water usage do not exceed addition to stocks of soil and water, and also that levels of nutrients and organic matter in soils do not decrease. Levels of volatile carbon compounds and N 2 O in the atmosphere should remain unaffected. Meeting such conditions requires major efforts (key impact factor parameters affecting BSI-A are soil, nutrients, water and energy). BSI-B: Maintaining key natural cycles and ecosystems services. To maintain ecosystems services of nature useful to mankind, restriction of biomass production to degraded and currently fallow land is to be preferred. Also, sustainability of biomass-for-energy use requires a high efficiency recycling of nutrients present in ashes and low emissions of persistent organics, acidifying compounds and heavy metals due to biomass combustion. Meeting such conditions requires major efforts of a different kind from that of BSI-A (key impact factor parameters affecting BSI-B are mobilization of elements, impact on climate, land use and biodiversity). Biomass Sustainability Index (BSI)

BSI-C: Socioeconomic factors. Land use is shaped by processes of society–nature interaction. Sustainability indicator BSI-C aims at monitoring key aspects of the society–nature interactions in order to communicate complex sustainability problems within the scientific community, to policy-makers and the broad public. The focus can be on a variety of concepts that measure socio-economic metabolism and social acceptance of a researched system. All the discussed approaches relate socioeconomic energy and material flows to the bio-productive area needed to support them. In addition, this special index will assess the consequences of land use intensity on the diversity, naturalness and patterns of landscapes (key impact factor parameters affecting BSI-C are social acceptance, human health, employment and regional development). Biomass Sustainability Index (BSI)

BSI ={ [BSI-A] +[BSI-B] +[BSI-C] }/3

Biomass Sustainability Index (BSI)

Comparative Assessment and Selection of Feedstock