Biomass Market Research Articles

Business and Financing Strategic in Entering a Biomass New Business (Case Study: PT ABC, in West Java)

Biomass is a renewable alternative fuel source that is more environmentally friendly than other fuels. Currently PT ABC has a biomass plant that produces wood chips and wood pellets in the West Java region. The purpose of this study is to analyse the business strategy and funding needed by PT ABC to enter the biomass industry in West Java. The research method used is a combination of descriptive and case study methods, with data collection through interviews, document analysis, and direct observation. SWOT, PESTEL, and Porter’s Five Forces analyses were conducted to evaluate the company’s internal and external situation. Furthermore, this research designs the right funding strategy based on 5 funding alternatives sourced from venture capital, Angel Investors, Banks, IPOs and Bonds. Based on the comparison results, alternative 3 (Bank Loan) is more profitable. This alternative provides NPV of Rp 8,503,386,171.21, Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 31%, Payback Period (PP) for 4 years. This alternative will increase the value of the company in several ways such as diversification of financial risks, tax benefits on interest payments, guaranteed retained earnings, quick disbursement of funds, and maintaining the balance of shareholders’ equity. The findings of this study highlight the huge potential of the biomass market in West Java and Indonesia, and the importance of an appropriate funding strategy. This research provides valuable insights for companies looking to enter the biomass industry.

Feed-in-tariff is key to Japan’s current biomass power’s viability, even with environmental externalities

Bioenergy is increasingly recognized as an effective tool for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, its economic feasibility remains underexplored, particularly when accounting for environmental impacts. This study proposes a quantitative assessment framework to calculate the cost-benefit ratio of biomass power generation and to assess the sustainability of its supporting policy tools, such as feed-in-tariffs (FIT). The framework accounts for benefits through electricity generation and environmental externalities, namely emissions from feedstock production and procurement, such as the transportation of biomass materials. This allows for quantification and a detailed discussion of multiple environmental burdens of biomass energy and economic costs. As a case study, this framework was applied to a hypothetical biomass plant in Japan, which has the fifth-largest biomass market globally. We prepare several scenarios to consider diverse conditions within the Japanese biomass industry, including the types of biomass materials used (pellets versus chips), their sources (domestic versus international), and the biomass technologies employed. The results show that using pellets, predominantly imported, significantly increases biomass energy costs. The increase in cost is directly proportional to the quantity of utilized pellets and their transportation distances. However, pellet production location —whether in Vietnam or Canada—doesn’t significantly change the overall cost calculations in our study. Our result is consistent across various biomass technologies, showing that the high selling price under the feed-in-tariff system, rather than material type, supply origin, or transportation mode, plays the most critical role in economic feasibility, even when accounting for environmental externalities. Thus, decision-makers must reevaluate the efficacy of FIT policies for wood biomass powers, where fuel costs share a substantial portion. We also discuss its synergies with local industries and trade-offs with other land-use objectives.

Forest Biomass in Bioenergy Production in the Changing Geopolitical Environment of the EU

The article examines the potential utilization of forest biomass in bioenergy production in Europe, taking into account limiting and developmental factors. The methodology includes a strategic analysis and the use of PEST analysis to evaluate the market for wood biomass. In the context of the current geopolitical situation and the decarbonization goals of the EU, the authors recommend accelerating energy transformation and highlighting forest biomass as an alternative within renewable energy sources. A literature review indicates the need to revise EU assumptions to enable the use of wood for bioenergy production, taking into account the needs of the wood industry. The analysis of economic factors shows competitiveness of forest biomass against coal, yet challenges arise regarding resource availability and competition with other energy sources. Emphasis is placed on the necessity of sustainable forest resource management and technological innovation. In the context of an energy crisis, the article underscores the role of innovation and recycling in alleviating shortages in energy markets. Conclusions highlight the imperative to develop a sustainable energy strategy for forest resource management and engage EU countries in the development of new biofuel and renewable energy sources for energy security and environmental protection.

Potential exportation of wood pellets and torrefied biomass pellets logistics cost analysis: A comparative case study from Portugal

<abstract> <p>This study evaluates the logistics cost associated with transporting Wood Pellets (WP) and Torrefied Biomass Pellets (TBP) from Aveiro, Portugal's principal WP exporting port, to Northern European destinations. With increasing emphasis on sustainable energy, understanding the cost dynamics between WP and TBP becomes crucial for market competitiveness. Using data sourced from the Argus Biomass Markets report, we compared the energy in gigajoules per ton of both WP and TBP. Torrefaction results in pellets with superior energy and bulk densities, influencing their transportation logistics costs. The main metrics for comparison were cost per energy unit and the implications of energy and bulk densities on transport costs. Preliminary findings indicate that although torrefied pellets undergo more significant mass loss than energy loss, their enhanced energy and bulk densities present logistical advantages. These advantages manifest as more tons per volume unit and heightened energy per ton, which ultimately lead to reduced transportation cost per energy unit. The insights from this analysis provide valuable input for the biofuel sector. By understanding the cost benefits associated with TBP transportation in contrast to WP, stakeholders can make strategic decisions, bolstering the competitiveness of Portuguese biofuel products in the European domain.</p> </abstract>

Measuring environmental and cost benefits of riparian buffers for drinking water production in a Midwest watershed

AbstractThis study focuses on the economic value and carbon benefits of riparian buffers in urban drinking water production. The impact of riparian buffers on the waterworks operation in the Raccoon River watershed was quantified using the following metrics: nitrate concentration, days of nitrate removal operation, material and energy cost (based on 17 years of historical records with a watershed model), regression, and cost analysis. The findings indicate that the presence of riparian buffers in agricultural land can substantially decrease nitrate concentration in the water intake of the waterworks during the crop‐growing season: 19% in April, 9% in May, and 11% in June. These reductions mean less nitrate treatment of the plant intake flow: 23% in April, 12% in May, and 3% in June. These changes lead to significant resource savings: 425 metric tons of sodium chloride (NaCl), 147 810 kWh of electricity, 253 metric tons of powdered activated carbon, and 20.8 million liters of fresh water. The buffers would also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 86.9 metric tons (CO2 equivalent) in 17 years. The total cost saving was estimated at $327 326, with the highest potential savings in May ($215 100), followed by April ($65 465), and June ($46 761). When factoring in buffer installation, cropland loss, nitrate removal, and cost associated with buffer harvest for biofuel in an established biomass market, the benefit to the entire watershed community would be $2.63 million annually. The results underscore the significant cost benefits and environmental benefits associated with cropland riparian buffers in a watershed community. The approach employed in this study holds promise for assessing riparian buffer benefits in other watersheds, contributes to an understanding of sustainable water management practices, and provides a basis for decision making in a wide range of agricultural regions.

Dynamics in the Bioeconomy: Markets for Amino Acids and Insect Biomass

SummaryWhile the bioeconomy permeates all sectors, respective markets are subject to different dynamics. Markets for bio‐based amino acids and insect biomass illustrate this. The global and EU markets for bio‐based amino acids are well‐established and growing. However, the increase in production in the EU of some ‘new’ amino acids is much smaller than the decrease in production of well‐established lysine and threonine that has resulted from the relocation of the production of these amino acids from the EU to Asia (an effect of higher production costs and stricter environmental standards in the EU). The result is that overall production of amino acids has decreased significantly.The market for insect biomass is just emerging in the EU. Production is low, but companies are starting to upscale. The animal feed market is a major target market for free amino acids and insect biomass. Free amino acids are classified as feed additives and placing them on the feed market is costly. Insect meal is a feed material and placing it on the market is quite straightforward, although its use in feed for poultry and pigs was approved only in September 2021. Free amino acids are common ingredients of animal feed, but their use is prohibited in organic farming. The use of insect meal in organic farming is not prohibited, but a corresponding certification is not yet developed in the EU.

Opportunities and challenges of woody biomass harvesting practices in the Southeastern region of the United States

ABSTRACT The Southern US has the potential to make a significant contribution to the global bioenergy market by producing woody biomass feedstock. Despite extensive research on the technical and economic aspects of biomass production in the Southeastern region, most studies didn’t incorporate the social aspects of forest stakeholders. This study aimed to understand the perceptions of forest stakeholders toward biomass production, consumption, and overall biomass market conditions. We conducted online surveys of biomass producers and consumers using Qualtrics software and found that, on average, 30% of the total harvested volume was made up of small-diameter trees. The main reasons for harvesting biomass were improving the aesthetic value of the site, increasing total revenue, and diversifying the business. Trucking distance with an average haul distance of 84–140 km (one-way), limited local markets, equipment availability, machine and labor costs, and production costs were ranked as biomass producers’ five major challenges. If there were more profitable options with better logistics, shorter transportation distances, and lower production costs, most of the producers (strongly agree = 56%, agree = 34%) would be willing to harvest more biomass. As for consumers, 80% of pellet producers, 33% of heat combustion plants, and only 14% of power combustion plants intend to expand biomass consumption over the next five years. Moreover, stakeholders’ occupation type, tract size, length of ownership, years of consuming biomass, and consumption rate affect biomass production and consumption decisions.

Analysis of the efficiency of wood pellet production in 2018-2022, on the example of a small capacity company located in southern Poland

Analysis of the efficiency of wood pellet production in 2018-2022, on the example of a small capacity company located in southern Poland. This paper is devoted to analyzing the efficiency of wood pellet production in 2018-2022, on the example of a small production facility located in the southern part of Poland. The first part includes definitions of key terms, i.e. answers to the questions of what a pellet is, what it is used for and what is the main idea of biomass pelletization. In addition to clarifying the most relevant terms, the section also indicates the current importance of the form of fuel under discussion and predictions for its future. The next section presents a description of the pellet production line and production efficiency data. The conclusion, in turn, presents the results of the above analyses, and also indicates the most important problems in the biomass market, which - especially in the last two years - have significantly affected the production market and, consequently, the level of sales.

Integrated Assessment of Economic Supply and Environmental Effects of Biomass Co-Firing in Coal Power Plants: A Case Study of Jiangsu, China

The technical supply potential of biomass and the associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are widely studied in the literature. However, relatively few studies have examined the role of biomass co-firing for future electricity in China by integratedly considering the economic supply potential and GHG effects. To fill this gap, we choose the Jiangsu Province in China as a case study and build up a partial equilibrium model with multiple agricultural commodities. Using this model combined with a life cycle assessment, we jointly determine the economic potential of the biomass supply for a biomass co-firing purpose and social benefits, including the agricultural producers’ surplus and GHG mitigation potential. The simulation incorporates the county-level biomass market of various crop residues as well as endogenous crop prices and transportation costs. We find that 0.7–12.5 M MT of residue-based biomass are economically viable for co-firing in coal-based power plants (up to 20%) at biomass prices between USD 50 and USD 100/MT. The net GHG savings achieved at these biomass prices are from 3.2 to 59 M MTCO2e. Our findings indicate that biomass co-firing with coal in power plants would be a feasible low-carbon energy transition pathway if the biomass price is above USD 50/MT. In addition to biomass prices, other factors such as crop yields, production costs of residues, and transportation costs are found to be impactful on the economic viability of biomass and GHG savings. Our results can inform policy to develop localized carbon reduction strategies in provinces with abundant biomass resources and a high share of coal-fired electricity.

Climate and air pollution impacts of generating biopower from forest management residues in California

California faces crisis conditions on its forested landscapes. A century of aggressive logging and fire suppression in combination with conditions exacerbated by climate change have created an ongoing ecological, economic, and public health emergency. Between commercial harvests on California’s working forestlands and the increasing number of acres the state treats each year for fire risk reduction and carbon sequestration, California forests generate millions of tons of woody residues annually—residues that are typically left or burned in the field. State policymakers have turned to biomass electricity generation as a key market for woody biomass in the hope that it can support sustainable forest management activities while also providing low-carbon renewable electricity. However, open questions surrounding the climate and air pollution performance of electricity generation from woody biomass have made it difficult to determine how best to manage the risks and opportunities posed by forest residues. The California Biomass Residue Emissions Characterization (C-BREC) model offers a spatially-explicit life cycle assessment framework to rigorously and transparently establish the climate and air pollution impacts of biopower from forest residues in California under current conditions. The C-BREC model characterizes the variable emissions from different biomass supply chains as well as the counterfactual emissions from prescribed burn, wildfire, and decay avoided by residue mobilization. We find that the life cycle ‘carbon footprint’ of biopower from woody residues generated by recent forest treatments in California ranges widely—from comparable with solar photovoltaic on the low end to comparable with natural gas on the high end. This variation stems largely from the heterogeneity in the fire and decay conditions these residues would encounter if left in the field, with utilization of residue that would otherwise have been burned in place offering the best climate and air quality performance. California’s energy and forest management policies should account for this variation to ensure desired climate benefits are achieved.

Selective conversion of 2-methylfuran to 3-acetyl-1-propanol in water over Pd@HZSM-5 catalyst with balanced metal-acid cooperation

Biomass is a promising renewable carbon resource, and bio-based platform molecules such as furan derivatives play an important role in the green manufacturing of high value-added chemicals. Of these, the conversion of 2-methylfuran (2-MF) to 3-acetyl-1-propanol (3-AP) over a bifunctional catalyst has attracted significant interest. However, bifunctional catalysts prepared by traditional method suffer from poor catalytic performance and limited stability due to the agglomeration of metal NPs. Here, Pd@HZSM-5, in which Pd NPs were encapsulated in HZSM-5 in situ showed improved stability and 3-AP yield. The highest yield of 3-AP (90.6%) to date was obtained with a nearly 100% conversion of 2-MF. The catalytic performance over a series of Pd@Zeolite confirms the superiority of the encapsulation effect, which is ascribed to the optimal adjustment of metal/acid balance. The Pd@HZSM-5 catalyst displayed excellent stability due to the encapsulation structure, which restricts the Pd NPs agglomeration. The highest yield of 3-AP was obtained at a high concentration of 2-MF (60%), which implies a promising strategy for the green industrial manufacture of 3-AP. This work reports a new bifunctional catalytic system for the green synthesis of 3-AP from 2-MF, thus stimulating the downstream biomass market.

Global biomass supply modeling for long-run management of the climate system

Bioenergy is projected to have a prominent, valuable, and maybe essential, role in climate management. However, there is significant variation in projected bioenergy deployment results, as well as concerns about the potential environmental and social implications of supplying biomass. Bioenergy deployment projections are market equilibrium solutions from integrated modeling, yet little is known about the underlying modeling of the supply of biomass as a feedstock for energy use in these modeling frameworks. We undertake a novel diagnostic analysis with ten global models to elucidate, compare, and assess how biomass is supplied within the models used to inform long-run climate management. With experiments that isolate and reveal biomass supply modeling behavior and characteristics (costs, emissions, land use, market effects), we learn about biomass supply tendencies and differences. The insights provide a new level of modeling transparency and understanding of estimated global biomass supplies that informs evaluation of the potential for bioenergy in managing the climate and interpretation of integrated modeling. For each model, we characterize the potential distributions of global biomass supply across regions and feedstock types for increasing levels of quantity supplied, as well as some of the potential societal externalities of supplying biomass. We also evaluate the biomass supply implications of managing these externalities. Finally, we interpret biomass market results from integrated modeling in terms of our new understanding of biomass supply. Overall, we find little consensus between models on where biomass could be cost-effectively produced and the implications. We also reveal model specific biomass supply narratives, with results providing new insights into integrated modeling bioenergy outcomes and differences. The analysis finds that many integrated models are considering and managing emissions and land use externalities of supplying biomass and estimating that environmental and societal trade-offs in the form of land emissions, land conversion, and higher agricultural prices are cost-effective, and to some degree a reality of using biomass, to address climate change.

Characterisation of harvest residues on New Zealand’s steepland plantation cutovers

Background: Timber harvesting in New Zealand’s plantation forests results in relatively large volumes of woody residues being generated. While a proportion of these residues are concentrated at the landings where the trees are processed, the majority of residues are distributed throughout the cutover. Harvest residues present a biomass market opportunity, however managing un-merchantable residues remains essential as the material can present a mass mobilisation risk. Quantifying cutover residues in terms of volume provides an important step for marketing and for improving post-harvest management. Methods: A refined Line Intersect Sampling (LIS) method was used to measure the cutover residues at 17 recently harvested steepland sites. These covered a range of whole tree harvesting systems, silviculture and geographical locations. The harvesting sites varied in size from 2.3 to 41.1 ha, with an average of 11x 60 m LIS transect plots completed at each site. Woody harvest residues >25 mm in diameter were measured. Results: The median volume of woody residues was 88 m3/ha, ranging from 0 m3/ha in an area swept bare, up to 580 m3/ha in an area severely impacted by windthrow prior to harvest. A distribution of volumes by plot showed a positive skew with an interquartile range of 87 m3/ha. Timber that was considered merchantable as a log at the time of harvest, being >10 cm in small end diameter and >4 m in length, accounted for a median of 11 m3/ha. Residues >10 cm in small end diameter and >80 cm in length that could make a viable biomass product, described as ‘binwood’, accounted for a further 19 m3/ha at the median. Cutovers harvested with cable-based systems had greater median total residue volumes than those harvested with ground-based systems (110 m3/ha versus 68 m3/ha) however the felling method employed made no significant difference to total residue volumes. Conclusions: This study provides cutover residue measurements that can be used to improve post-harvest management, as both a substantial opportunity for improved crop utilisation and also for reducing mobilisation risk. It also provides a contemporary benchmark against which to measure change as harvesting technology or methodology develops.

Potential of biomass and coal co-firing power plants in Indonesia: a PESTEL analysis

Biomass co-firing technology for coal power plants has been widely applied in developed countries. The government of Indonesia is currently encouraging the implementation of biomass co-firing to achieve the target of 23% new and renewable energy (NRE) share in the national energy mix by 2025. Although only a few technical issues are left on the implementation of biomass co-firing in coal power plants, the challenges for the large-scale application and the long-term sustainability of the technology still need to be investigated. To identify and overcome these challenges, this paper applies the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental, and Legal (PESTEL) framework to analyze the business prospects for biomass co-firing for coal power plants. There is potential for biomass co-firing in 114 units of coal power plants with a total capacity of 18.1 GW spread across various locations in Indonesia. As a consequence, it requires around 9 million tons of biomass per year. This huge potential market of biomass opens opportunities for people to participate in supplying the raw materials. The biomass market as co-firing fuels will push agricultural and industrial waste management to be used more efficiently. The biomass supply chain needs to be well developed so that the biomass supply can be sustainable at an economically feasible price, to ensure that electricity prices generated from utilities are affordable for the public. The technical specifications for biomass need to be standardized. The 10% co-firing acceleration of the total coal power plant capacity, or equivalent to around 1.81 GW, can directly contribute to the achievement of the NRE target for the electricity sector and simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The government needs to prepare related supporting instruments such as technical regulations, technological and economic aspects, and policy support.

Economics of co-firing rice straw in coal power plants in Vietnam

As governments forced electricity producers to use more renewable energy sources, over a hundred thermal power plants in high-income countries turned to biomass as a partial or complete replacement for coal. Is the co-firing technology appropriate for Vietnam? To assess the technology we build an integrated model simulating the economics, environmental and social implications of blending 5% of rice straw in two existing coal power plants in Vietnam. The business value of co-firing is positive –straw is cheaper than coal– but not large enough to motivate the stakeholders. The external social benefit of co-firing –reduced air-borne pollution– are several times larger than the business value. Within that external benefit, the social value of avoided PM2.5 and NOx emissions dominates the social value of avoided CO2 emissions. The net job creation effect is positive: collecting straw creates more employment than using less coal destroys. This is the first technology assessment of co-firing biomass in coal power plants in Vietnam and one of the first for a subtropical middle-income country. The study only considers rice straw, and it does not address the role of government nor the biomass market functioning. The price of coal is the primary determinant of co-firing business value. There is an empirical economic justification for a public intervention to promote co-firing biomass in Vietnam, mainly as a way to reduce open-field straw burning. Local air quality goals, rather than greenhouse gas reduction policy, can justify such regulations.

Environmental and cost benefits of multi‐purpose buffers in an agricultural watershed for biomass production

AbstractThe cost‐benefit of riparian buffers to landowners has not been fully understood despite its ecosystem benefits. This study investigates the environmental and economic value of multi‐purpose buffers for biomass production under alternative land‐management scenarios at the watershed scale. The work incorporates the Soil and Water Assessment Tool with a field‐scale tool, the Agriculture Conservation Practice Framework, and cost‐benefit analysis. Our work took place in the agriculturally dominant Raccoon River watershed (RRW) in Iowa. The cost analysis includes implementing and harvesting the switchgrass buffers, the value of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer, and the forgone income of cropland to determine the net return under 12 alternative feedstock scenarios. We estimated that 14 603 Mg of nitrogen and 2563 Mg of phosphorus runoffs can be intercepted by riparian buffers in the RRW, representing a nutrient loss reduction of 11% of nitrogen and 26% of phosphorus. These nutrients are valued at $1.31 million (M) for phosphorus and $1.24 M for nitrogen as fertilizers. The trapped nutrients account for 12% of the riparian buffers’ total cost. We found that net economic returns increase with biomass market price, increase with maintenance fertilizer application, and decrease with the cropland areas that are converted to buffers. Under current land management, a biomass market price at $60 per dry ton of biomass would be economically viable at the sub‐basin level when maintenance fertilizers are applied. At $80 per dry ton, all 108 sub‐basins in the RRW would be profitable up to $517 a year. The results highlight the trade‐offs between water quality and profitability. Published 2021. This article is a U.S. Government work and is inthe public domain in the USA. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An Evaluation of Woody Biomass and Pulpwood Market Competition within a Range of Procurement Distances

Abstract In the Southern United States, a rising number of biomass facilities have created new market opportunities for forest landowners, consulting foresters, and loggers, which could increase the competition between the biomass market and pulpwood market for forest biomass. Thus, comparing the profits from conventional roundwood harvesting and biomass harvesting within a range of procurement distances could be crucial to make a harvest decision. In this study, we considered two harvesting systems: conventional and biomass. We developed a decision support tool to predict and compare the final stumpage value from both harvesting systems based on the stand and site conditions, market conditions, and distance to the nearest market. We grew (simulated) loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) plantations to six different thinning ages (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, and 22 yr) at five different site indices (17, 20, 23, 26, and 29 m at a base age of 25 yr) using the PTAEDA4.0 software. Different models were fitted and evaluated for certain training and validating criteria. In both harvesting systems, we select the cube root-transformed model as the best model. Using the models, we predict that the utilization of logging residues and pulpwood as wood chips may yield a higher return to the landowner when the delivered price of the wood chips is comparable to the delivered price of the pulpwood and within the same procurement distance. The selected models thus serve as a decision support tool to inform stakeholders to further maximize their economic return from timber harvesting operations by selecting the most profitable option.

Financial Returns for Biomass on Short-Rotation Loblolly Pine Plantations in the Southeastern United States

Abstract Rising demand for renewable energy has created a potential market for biomass from short-rotation pine plantations in the southeastern United States. Site preparation, competition control, fertilization, and enhanced seedling genotypes offer the landowner several variables for managing productivity, but their combined effects on financial returns are unclear. This study estimated returns from a hypothetical 10-year biomass harvest in loblolly pine plantation using field studies in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina and the Virginia Piedmont testing combinations of tree genotype, planting density, and silviculture. Although enhanced varietal genotypes could yield more biomass, open-pollinated seedlings at 1,236–1,853 trees ha−1 under operational silviculture had the greatest returns at both sites, with mean whole-tree internal rates of return of 8.3%–9.9% assuming stumpage equal to current pulpwood prices. At a 5% discount rate, break-even whole-tree stumpage at the two sites in the optimal treatments was $8.72–$9.92 Mg−1, and break-even yield was 175–177 Mg ha−1 (roughly 18 Mg ha−1 yr−1 productivity), although stumpage and yield floors were higher if only stem biomass was treated as salable. Dedicated short-rotation loblolly biomass plantations in the region are more likely to be financially attractive when site establishment and maintenance costs are minimized.

What are the barriers to agricultural biomass market development? The case of Poland

This paper examines the main determinants of biomass market development from a regional perspective in the context of current EU climate and energy policy. The EU’s targeting of climate neutrality implies a new, multifaceted role for agriculture as a producer of energy resources. The challenge is to orient production to support the sustainable development of the circular economy. The possibility of using agricultural waste as a type of energy raw material aligns with a holistic approach to product management. The use of agricultural biomass as an energy raw material can enable increased energy self-sufficiency and reduced dependence on imported fuels among Poland’s regions and an increase in the country’s energy security. The aim of the study is to identify barriers to and opportunities for the development of the agricultural biomass market. The empirical section presents survey data from interviews with farm owners in the Polish province with the highest agricultural biomass potential, located in a region with one of the largest opencast mines in Europe. The estimated parameters of a logit model indicate that the logistical aspects of raw material collection and organization and a lack of knowledge of biomass are the main barriers to biomass development on the supply side.

Small-Scale Woodlot Growers\u2019 Interest in Participating in Bioenergy Market In Rural Ethiopia

Production of value-added outputs from biomass residues represents an opportunity to increase the supply of renewable energy in Ethiopia. Particularly, agroforestry could provide biomass residues for improved bioenergy products. The aim of this study was to characterize the interest of growers to provide biomass residues to a hypothetical biomass feedstock market. This study relied on a survey conducted on a sample of 240 farmers. Although the awareness of potential biomass products was generally quite low, a majority of farmers expressed interest in supplying biomass residues, but the level of interest depended on certain individual socio-economic and demographic characteristics. For example, younger and female household heads were found to be more interested in participating in the hypothetical biomass market, as were households with an improved biomass stove, larger land holdings, and higher income levels. In addition, larger households and those that felt less vulnerable to firewood scarcity also expressed more interest. As a whole, the results imply that farmers, particularly those with younger and female heads of households, should be supported with programs tailored to ensure their inclusion in biomass supply chains. Respondents generally preferred farm-gate sales of biomass, so the collecting, baling, and transporting of woody residues need to be properly incentivized or new actors need to be recruited into the supply chain. Providing households with energy-efficient tools such as improved stoves would not only increase demand for biomass products, but also increase the amount of biomass residues that could be supplied to the market instead of used at home.