Abstract
Biomass processing plants have a trade-off between two competing cost factors: as size increases, the economy of scale reduces per unit processing cost, while a longer biomass transportation distance increases the delivered cost of biomass. The competition between these cost factors leads to an optimum size at which the cost of energy produced from biomass is minimized. Four processing options are evaluated: power production via direct combustion and via biomass integrated gasification and combined cycle (BIGCC), ethanol production via fermentation, and syndiesel via Fischer Tropsch. The optimum size is calculated as a function of biomass gross yield (the biomass available to the processing plant from the total surrounding area) and processing cost (capital recovery and operating costs). Higher biomass gross yield and higher processing cost each lead to a higher optimum size. For most cases, a small relaxation in the objective of minimum cost, 3%, leads to a halving of plant size. Direct combustion and BIGCC each produce power, with BIGCC having a higher capital cost and conversion efficiency. When the delivered cost of biomass is high, BIGCC produces power at a lower cost than direct combustion. The crossover point at which this occurs is calculated as a function of the purchase cost of biomass and the biomass gross yield.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Park, R. (1984). New York, USA: Wiley-Interscience.
Sherrod, H., & Saarivirta, P. (2005). Kvaerner Power North America, Irving, Texas, USA, 75062. Power Generation Systems, Kvaerner Power Oy, Kelloportinkatu, ID, Tampere.
Cameron, J., Kumar, A., & Flynn, P. (2007). Biomass and Bioenergy, 31, 137–144.
Ghafoori, E., & Flynn, P. (2007). ASABE Transactions, 50, 1029–1036.
Ghafoori, E., Flynn, P., & Feddes, J. (2005). ASAE Pacific Northwest Section Meeting Presentation, PNW05-1012, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.
Gallagher, P., Brubaker, H., & Shapouri, H. (2005). Biomass and Bioenergy, 28, 565–571.
Kaylen, M., Van Dyne, D., Choi, Y., & Base, M. (2000). Bioresource Technology, 72, 19–32.
Boerrigter, H. (2006). ECN Biomass, Coal & Environmental Research ECN-C-019.
Jenkins, B. (2007). Biomass and Bioenergy, 13, 1–9.
Kumar, A., Cameron, J., & Flynn, P. (2003). Biomass and Bioenergy, 24, 445–464.
Larson, E., & Marrison, C. (1997). Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power, 119, 285–290.
Nguyen, M., & Prince, R. (1996). Biomass and Bioenergy, 10, 361–365.
Overend, R. (1982). Biomass, 2, 75–79.
Rodrigues, M., Walter, Al., & Faaij, A. (2003). Energy, 28, 1229–1258.
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved 29 March 2008 from http://woodrow.mpls.frb.fed.us/research/data/us/calc/.
Searcy, E., Flynn, P., Ghafoori, E., & Kumar, A. (2007). Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 136–140, 639–652.
Aden, A., Ruth, M., Ibsen, K., Jechura, J., Neeves, K., Sheehan, J., et al. (2002). National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, NREL/TP-510-32438.
Flynn, P., & Kumar, A. (2005). Prepared for Biocap Canada Foundation and the Province of British Columbia.
Caputo, A., Palumbo, M., Pelagagge, P., & Scacchia, F. (2005). Biomass and Bioenergy, 28, 35–51.
Castleman, J. (1995). Prepared by the Tennessee Valley Authority Environmental Research Center Biotechnical Research Department, Muscle Shoals, Alabama, USA 35660.
Radian Corporation. (1991). Prepared for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, RCN-231-185-01-00.
Uddin, S., & Barreto, L. (2007). Renewable Energy, 32, 1006–1019.
Craig, K., & Mann, M. (1996). NREL/TP-430-21657, Golden, Colorado.
Liscinsky, D., Robson, R., & Foyt, A. (2003). Proceedings of ASME Turbo Expo 2003, Power for Land, Sea, and Air. June 16–19, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Rollins, M., Reardon, L., Nichols, D., Lee, P., Moore, M., Crim, M., et al. (2002). DE-FC26-00NT40937.
United States Department of Energy National Technology Laboratory. (2007). DOE/NETL-2007/1298.
Hamelinck, C., Hooijdonk, G., & Faaij, A. (2003). Universiteit Utrecht Copernicus Institute, The Netherlands, NWS-E-2003-55.
Mabee, W., Gregg, D., Arato, C., Berlin, A., Bura, R., Gilkes, N., et al. (2006). Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, 129–132, 55–70.
United States Department of Energy. Office of Public Affairs release February 28, 2007. http://www.energy.gov/print/4827.htm. Accessed March 2, 2007.
Wooley, R., Ruth, M., Sheehan, J., Ibsen, K., Majeski, H., and Galvez, A. (1999). National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, USA, NREL/TP-580-26157.
Wyman, C. (1999). Annual Review of Energy and the Environment, 24, 189–222.
McAloon, A., Taylor, F., Yee, W., Ibsen, K., & Wooley, R. (2000). National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado, USA, NREL/TP-580-28893.
Anderson, R. (1984). Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis, pp. 457–461.
Hamelinck, C., Faaij, A., den Uil, H., & Boerrigter, H. (2004). Energy, 29, 1743–1771.
Yamashita, K., & Barreto, L. (2004). International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria. Interim Report IR-04-047.
Wright, M., & Brown, R. (2007). Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biorefining, 1, 49–56.
Kawulka, I. (2007). Personal communication, distributor for Choren Industries.
United States Department of Energy National Technology Laboratory. (2007). DOE/NETL-2007/1260.
United States Department of Energy National Technology Laboratory. (2007). DOE/NETL-2007/1253.
Gradassi, M. (1998). Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis, 119, 35–44.
Gray, D., & Tomlinson, G. (1997). Natural Gas Conversion IV, 107, 145–150.
Greene, D. (1999). Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Centre for Transportation Analysis, Contract DE-AC05-96OR22464.
Bechtel. (1998). DE-AC22-91PC90027, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Mann, M., & Spath, P. (1999). National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden Colorado, USA, DE-AC36-83CH10093.
Larson, E., Consonni, S., Katofsky, R., Iisa, K., & Frederick, J., Jr. (2006). US Department of Energy and American Forest and Paper Association, DE-FC26-04NT42260.
Boerrigter, H., & Zwart, R. (2004). Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, ENC-C-04-001.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from Canada’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Poole Family; all conclusions are the authors’.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Searcy, E., Flynn, P. The Impact of Biomass Availability and Processing Cost on Optimum Size and Processing Technology Selection. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 154, 92–107 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-008-8407-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-008-8407-9