ArcGIS Network Analyst is a software that can be used to analyze biomass transport over a given distance. Since many agricultural producers and biomass sources are usually distributed to different geographic locations, computing the transport costs of the entire operation over time is useful information for helping to determine net return on investment, decision making surrounding infrastructure and the monitoring and maintenace of transport vehicles and biomass equiment.

The European based BioEnergy NOE is a project based upon integrating bioenergy knowledge across many disciplines and brings together 8 research institutions for that purpose. Included are specialization in agriculture, communication, forestry and socio-economics among others.

From the project — “The Bioenergy Network of Excellence (NoE) is a European group of eight leading bioenergy institutes. We are integrating our RD&D activities to create a Virtual Bioenergy R&D Centre that will contribute to a competitive bioenergy market in Europe.”

Nawaro BioEnergie Park “Güstrow” GmbH is now generating biogas and feeding it into the regional gas grid. It is expected to generate enough gas to power 50,000 homes. The plant accepts biomaterial from farmer’s within 50 kilometres of the site ensuring a stable market contribution to the power plant located at Nawaro BioEnergie Park in Güstrow.

A study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development entitled ‘Biofuels – At what cost? Government support for ethanol and biodiesel in Canada’ says that government subsidies are an expensive alternative.

From the study – “Public subsidies for biofuels have been justified on their environmental merits, as well as the economic boost they provide to rural economies,” said IISD associate Stephan Barg. “However, our research shows that these policies are an extremely expensive and inefficient way to conserve fossil fuels and reduce GHG emissions.”

While the report does cite the entire chain of biofuel production, from research to refining to vehicles, in fairness, the costs are likely not unlike the early costs for producing other fuels, and that as the markets mature the costs are reduced.

Andris Piebalgs,  Member of the European Commission responsible for Energy spoke at the eBio 1 European Bioethanol Fuel Conference in Brussels 1 April 2009 on the topic of  ‘The Future of Biofuels.’ Importantly, he outlined the criteria for using biofuels in the EU, which serves to clarify some misconceptions about what can and cannot be included in the production of energy.

The criteria include the following – from the speech:

• Firstly, biofuels have to guarantee at least a 35% greenhouse gas saving compared to traditional fuels, increasing in 2017 to 50% for existing installations, and to 60% for new installations. In addition, incentives were added in the text to promote second generation biofuels and electric- or hydrogen-fuelled cars. In fact second generation biofuels will count double towards the target.

• Secondly, areas that contain high carbon stock should not be converted for biofuels. This is to avoid the risk of causing big greenhouse gas losses through the release of carbon stored in the soil and in plants.

• Thirdly, areas with high biodiversity should not be used for biofuels production in order to avoid disturbing biodiversity and disrupting natural habitats.

As shown, biofuels must be able to achieve high levels of ‘clean’ production and purposely avoid the use of high carbons such as conifer trees and peats. Biodiversity is maintained in the production of energy.

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany have been able to produce 30% more biogas yield through a process that depends solely upon agricultural residues, as compared to those processes which include foodstuffs. The process is also able to reduce the fermentation time from 80 days down to