Abstract
This study gives an analysis of costs and energy consumption, associated with long distance bioenergy
transport systems. In order to create the possibility of obtaining an insight in the system’s key factors, a
model has been developed, taking into account different production systems, pretreatment operations
and transport options. Various transport chains were constructed,
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which were subjected to a sensitivity
analysis with respect to factors like transport distance, fuel prices and equipment operation times.
Scenarios analysed are Latin-America and Europe for which the distinguishing parameters were
assumed to be the transport distances and biomass prices. For both regions, an analysis is made for a
situation where ship transports are applied for both, a coastal and an inland biomass supply. In case of
European biomass, a train transport was considered as well. In order to explore possibilities for
improvement, the effects of these variables on costs and energy consumption within a chain, were
assessed.
Delivered biomass can be converted to power or methanol. Model results are as follows: Total costs for
European bioenergy range from 11.2-21.2 €/GJMeOH for methanol and 17.4-28.0 €/GJe for electricity.
For Latin-America, costs ranges are 11.3-21.8 €/GJMeOH for methanol and 17.4-28.7 €/GJe for
electricity. The lower end of these ranges is represented by transport chains that are characterised by
the use of high density energy carriers such as logs, pellets or liquid fuels.
Transport chains, based on the transport of high density energy carriers, such as logs and pellets, are the
most attractive for all scenarios considered. The transport of chips should be avoided categorically due
to their low density and high production costs. Transport chains based on the early production of liquid
energy carriers such as methanol or pyrolysis oil seem to be promising alternatives as well.
With respect to energy consumption, the transport of chips is highly unfavourable for the same reasons
as stated above. The use of pelleting operations implies a high energy input, however due to energy
savings as a result of more efficient transport operations, this energy loss is compensated. Energy
consumption figures for the drying step can possibly be reduced to a large extent by utilising waste
heat.
By far the most influential parameters are the operation window of the system and the harvest window.
Other factors of importance are the interest rate and the international transport distance. Pretreatment
operations do contribute an important share to the total costs and energy use, however energy costs and
load factor figures, determining the application of pretreatment equipment exert a relatively weak
influence.
Weak spots within this study are the shortage of data with respect to storage and transport of liquid
fuels
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