Second generation biofuels derived from lignocellulosic feedstocks tackle the drawbacks posed by the so-called first generation ones regarding feedstock availability and competition with the food industries.
We develop a stochastic mixed-integer linear fractional programming (SMILFP) model to tackle multiple uncertainties regarding feedstock supply and product demand.
Both energy and material applications furthermore face different types of regulations, e.g. regarding feedstock requirements or waste treatment regulations [12, 43].
While corn has gotten most of the bad press for being a very energy- and water-intensive crop to crow, all these farmed feedstocks have similar problems regarding energy and cost inputs and outputs.
The resulting cases differ regarding biomass feedstock composition, biomass transportation distances, LBG plant sizes, how efficiently the excess heat from the LBG plant is used, and LBG distribution distances.
Two of the best-described biomass feedstocks with regard to their lignin content are switchgrass (P. virgatum), which ranges from 15%to29%9% lignin, with an average of 22% [ 24], and the woody biomass of the short-rotation woody crop Populus spp. averages 25% lignin [ 28, 38].
This will improve decision-making regarding if a particular feedstock, production system, processing or conversion technology is a feasible emission reduction option and should therefore be utilised.
The RFA's July 2008 "Gallager Review", mentioned several risks regarding biofuels and required feedstock production to avoid agricultural land that would otherwise be used for food production, despite concluding that "quantification of GHG emissions from indirect land-use change requires subjective assumptions and contains considerable uncertainty".
The replacement of conventional fossil fuels with alternative sources is dictated by a number of concerns, regarding future sustainability of feedstock, energy security, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and support of local economy.
The second best proven feedstock was 100% potato-pulp having potentials regarding climate change, acidification and fresh-water eutrophication as; 70.5 kg, 6.5 kg and 0.021 kg respectively.
