Tang, Y., Li, Y. and Cockerill, T.T. orcid.org/0000-0001-7914-2340 (2024) Environmental and economic spatial analysis system for biochar production – Case studies in the East of England and the East Midlands. Biomass and Bioenergy, 184. 107187. ISSN 0961-9534
Abstract
Biochar is made from organic materials and plays an important role in greenhouse gas removal (GGR) and achieving net-zero target. However, economic feasibility has become a primary constraint hindering the large-scale production of biochar. Existing research lacks consideration of practical factors such as feedstock supply, pricing, and factory scale, and cannot accurately evaluate the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction effect and corresponding costs at scale. We develop a space-based environmental economic model to quantify the impact of feedstock supply and plant strategies on costs and benefits. The results show that biochar production in the East of England and the East Midlands could achieve significant net GHG reduction and GGR benefits. Environmental benefits are not related to factory strategy but are positively correlated with feedstock supply strategy. Biochar production imposes additional financial burdens that are affected by feedstock supply and factory strategy. The main factors influencing biochar scalability are the quantity and pricing of feedstock and the price of byproducts. Spatial heterogeneity significantly influences the unit cost of GGR benefits. Compared to previous studies, spatial analysis provides a more detailed understanding of the costs associated with scaling up biochar production and the spatial distribution of production costs. This has crucial implications for biochar promotion and the implementation of effective policies.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
Keywords: | Biochar; Life cycle assessment; Techno-economic analysis; Spatial analysis; Scalability |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Mechanical Engineering (Leeds) > Institute of Engineering Thermofluids, Surfaces & Interfaces (iETSI) (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number BBSRC (Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council) BB/V011596/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 29 Apr 2024 14:02 |
Last Modified: | 29 Apr 2024 14:29 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.biombioe.2024.107187 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:211998 |