Comprehensive Evaluation of Biomass Energy Technologies in China

Haiping Yang,Hanping Chen,Fei Han,Qing Yang,Xudong Wu,Deyuan Wang,Shihong Zhang,Xianhua Wang

doi:10.6000/1929-6002.2014.03.03.1

Abstract

Based on a comprehensive review of the different biomass energy technologies in China, a hybrid evaluation model founding on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is proposed to offer a comprehensive evaluation of a variety of biomass energy technologies in China. In this model, three evaluation criteria, including the applicability of technology, economic viability and environment-friendly, are defined and nine indicators, including resources supply, equipment and technology, energy efficiency, energy grade, production cost, economic benefit, ecological impact, environmental pollution and social benefit, are devised. Priorities are established in this study based on pairwise comparisons of the elements. In addition, the model has been validated by various utilization technologies reported in literatures. Results show that environmental pollution, social benefit, ecological impact and resources supply greatly impact on the application of biomass technologies, followed by economic benefit. Besides, it is demonstrated that integrated technologies of biomass energy, which is closely related with residential daily life and compatible with local ecological environment, possess evident superiority. Furthermore, the outcome can be supportive for guiding future development of biomass energy in China.

Highlights

Solar radiation can be transformed into chemical energy stored in organisms via photosynthesis of plants, which is the source of bio-energy
Yang et al (2009) [14] used the cumulative exergetic method based on the integrated process including agricultural crop production, corn transportation, industrial conversion and waste treatment as a whole to identify the renewability of total corn-ethanol production in the national level of China the results showed that 3.84 times more energy was consumed in corn-ethanol processes than was produced
The comprehensive evaluation to various biomass utilization technologies is urgent, especially in China, which feeds more people with fewer land. In this context, based on a review of different technologies of biomass energy, an evaluation model based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method is proposed to assess different technologies of biomass energy in China, which is of significant importance to government planning on future development of biomass energy

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Solar radiation can be transformed into chemical energy stored in organisms via photosynthesis of plants, which is the source of bio-energy. The biomass distribution, energy efficiency, economy and environmental impact are quite different for varied biomass energy plants in different areas As a result, it is of great concern of choosing the optimal utilization model fitting to the local development, which involves the state of the art of a certain technology, and relates to the context of energy consumption in the whole region. The comprehensive evaluation to various biomass utilization technologies is urgent, especially in China, which feeds more people with fewer land In this context, based on a review of different technologies of biomass energy, an evaluation model based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method is proposed to assess different technologies of biomass energy in China, which is of significant importance to government planning on future development of biomass energy

Evaluation Method

Evaluation Model

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

CONCLUSIONS