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Bioenergy Economics: Analysis, Modeling and Application

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "C: Energy Economics and Policy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2024 | Viewed by 5968

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anna Kożuch

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Guest Editor

Department of Forest Resources Management, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Avenue 29, Listopada 46, 31-425 Krakow, Poland
Interests: forestry; economy, bioenergy

Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Adamowicz

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Guest Editor

Department of Forestry Economics and Technology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznan, Poland
Interests: economy; forest management; environmental analysis; resource management; wood; biomass; bioenergy; natural resource management

Dr. Miloš Gejdoš

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Guest Editor

Department of Forest Harvesting, Logistics and Ameliorations, Faculty of Forestry, Technical University in Zvolen, T.G. Masaryka 24, 960 01 Zvolen, Slovakia
Interests: agroforestry; environment; sustainable development; forest economics; natural resource economics; resource management; natural resource management; wood products; forest management; sustainability
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The transition to low-carbon renewable energy is a priority and a challenge for an increasingly energy-demanding world. In addition, energy markets are under pressure from the current geopolitical situation, and Europe is facing the biggest energy crisis in history. This crisis is likely to accelerate the process of energy transformation in many regions. The development of alternative energy sources and efforts to increase their share and diversification are observed. This is important in the context of maintaining the energy security of countries. Energy from biomass (sustainable bioenergy) is an important source of energy and constitutes a significant share of RES in many countries. In addition, sustainable bioenergy is at the heart of many countries' decarbonization strategies, contributing to achieving climate neutrality and avoiding the catastrophic effects of climate change. Energy crops, wood and waste from the woodworking and agricultural industries are the most important sources of energy from biomass. The importance of organic waste, sludge and sewage sludge in the production of bioenergy is growing. However, the effectiveness and efficiency of obtaining energy from biomass depends on technological factors.

The economic efficiency of bioenergy production depends on the availability/type of biomass used, biomass acquisition technology and bioenergy production technology, expenditure on technological processes and conversion into specific forms of energy. The bioenergy economy is closely related to legislative and political conditions, and the bioenergy market evolves as a result of innovations and changes in legislation in this area. The purpose of this Special Issue is to present the results of research and review papers on the economic aspects of biomass production, acquisition and processing for energy purposes, as well as cost-effectiveness analyses of bioenergy and biofuel production and distribution technologies. Preference will be given to studies presenting original research results using econometric methods and models used to analyze the phenomena occurring in the bioenergy market.

The exchange of views, the presentation of extraordinary solutions and analyses of the profitability of sustainable bioenergy production may be useful for decision makers and energy market participants, producers and consumers.

Topics in this Special Issue include but are not limited to:

The political, legal and economic conditions of biomass and bioenergy production. The limitations and determinants of the development of the sustainable bioenergy market.
The sustainable management of natural resources (agricultural, forest) in the context of biomass production. The optimization of production using agricultural wasteland.
The sustainable development and economic efficiency of managing biomass and organic residues for bioenergy production.
The production of bioenergy in sustainable agriculture and forestry as part of the circular economy.
The profitability of investments in the production of sustainable bioenergy (plantations of fast-growing trees; technologies; the role of technical, technological and process innovations).
Analysis of the profitability of energy production from biomass. The economic efficiency of technologies and innovative technologies in the production of bioenergy.
Forecasting biomass supply in the short-, medium- and long-term using econometric methods and models. Forecasting on the biomass and bioenergy market (forecasting supply, demand, prices). The use of forecasting methods that consider interactions with other variables.

Dr. Anna Kożuch
Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Adamowicz
Dr. Miloš Gejdoš
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

biomass
wood and wood residues
agricultural crops as well as animal and plant waste and residues
pellets
biogas
biofuels
economics of bioenergy
bioenergy production
economic efficiency
econometrics analyses
bioenergy markets
time series analysis
forecasts on the bioenergy market

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 2063 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biomass Higher Heating Value Estimation: A Comparative Analysis of Machine Learning Models

by Ivan Brandić, Lato Pezo, Neven Voća and Ana Matin

Energies 2024, 17(9), 2137; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17092137 - 30 Apr 2024

Viewed by 254

Abstract

The research conducted focused on the capabilities of various non-linear and machine learning (ML) models in estimating the higher heating value (HHV) of biomass using proximate analysis data as inputs. The research was carried out to identify the most appropriate model for the estimation of HHV, which was determined by a statistical analysis of the modeling error. In this sense, artificial neural networks (ANNs), support vector machine (SVM), random forest regression (RFR), and higher-degree polynomial models were compared. After statistical analysis of the modeling error, the ANN model was found to be the most suitable for estimating the HHV biomass and showed the highest specific regression coefficient, with an R² of 0.92. SVM (R² = 0.81), RFR, and polynomial models (R² = 0.84), on the other hand, also exhibit a high degree of estimation, albeit with somewhat larger modelling errors. The study conducted suggests that ANN models are best suited for the non-linear modeling of HHV of biomass, as they can generalize and search for links between input and output data that are more robust but also more complex in structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioenergy Economics: Analysis, Modeling and Application)

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19 pages, 2136 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Key Factors for the Development of Agricultural Biogas Plants in Poland

by Grzegorz Ginda and Marta Szyba

Energies 2023, 16(23), 7779; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16237779 - 26 Nov 2023

Viewed by 784

Abstract

Agricultural biogas plants are a renewable source of energy and at the same time enable the disposal of biodegradable waste generated in agriculture and the food industry. In Poland, a program aimed at constructing agricultural biogas plants has been in operation since 2010 with the goal of producing 1.7 billion Nm³ of biogas, which has not been achieved. Factors that could influence the development of this energy source were identified based on a register of agricultural biogas producers from the National Agriculture Support Center and data from the Energy Regulatory Office. These factors are technology, substrates, state energy policy, profitability, population density in the commune and the spatial arrangement of the commune resulting from spatial development plans. A pairwise comparison analysis using the DEMATEL method was conducted for these factors. It allowed us to conclude that they are population density and the lack of local spatial development plans in most rural areas. The situation may be improved by the obligation to develop such plans for the entire area of each commune and by locating biogas plants near livestock farms and agri-food processing plants. The selected DEMATEL method is mature and comprehensively verified. It enables research to be carried out in other contexts, taking into account the correlations between factors. It is a universal method, and after collecting expert opinions, research can be expanded. The obtained results of the analysis will allow for further research by collecting the opinions of experts such as biogas plant users, local communities, local government officials and other stakeholders. In addition, further analysis of key factors will be carried out using the DEMATEL method for several scenarios. The PESTEL method will be used to identify key factors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioenergy Economics: Analysis, Modeling and Application)

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21 pages, 2780 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Use of Forest Biomass for Energy Purposes in Selected European Countries

by Anna Kożuch, Dominika Cywicka, Krzysztof Adamowicz, Marek Wieruszewski, Emilia Wysocka-Fijorek and Paweł Kiełbasa

Energies 2023, 16(15), 5776; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16155776 - 03 Aug 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1607

Abstract

The utilization of primary and secondary woody biomass resources, despite controversies, is being promoted to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and due to the need to diversify energy sources and ensure energy security in European Union countries. Forest biomass is one of the renewable and sustainable energy sources that can be used for electricity, heat, and biofuel production. In the context of the ongoing energy crisis in Europe, an attempt was made to analyze the production and consumption of woody biomass for energy purposes (fuel wood, chips, and pellets). Specifically, an analysis of similarities between European countries in terms of biomass utilization was conducted. The analysis was complemented by a forecast of primary biomass production in selected European countries. The similarity analysis was conducted using the Ward method. Artificial neural networks (ANNs), including multi-layer feedforward perceptron (MLP) and radial basis function (RBF) models, were used to predict fuelwood extraction. The study showed that woody biomass remains an important source of bioenergy in Europe, and its significance as a strategic resource guaranteeing energy security is likely to increase. Fuel wood harvesting in Europe generally shows an upward trend, particularly in the Czech Republic, Germany, Estonia, Denmark, and the UK. A decreasing trend was observed in France, Spain, Greece, and Cyprus. The analysis revealed differences between countries in terms of woody biomass consumption. The ANN-based forecasts of fuelwood supply generally showed an increase in primary biomass harvesting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioenergy Economics: Analysis, Modeling and Application)

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16 pages, 719 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Predicting Post-Production Biomass Prices

by Aleksandra Górna, Alicja Szabelska-Beręsewicz, Marek Wieruszewski, Monika Starosta-Grala, Zygmunt Stanula, Anna Kożuch and Krzysztof Adamowicz

Energies 2023, 16(8), 3470; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16083470 - 15 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 934

Abstract

This paper presents the application of prediction in the analysis of market price volatility in Polish conditions of wood processing by-products in the form of biomass. The ARIMA model, which takes into account cyclical, seasonal, irregular fluctuations of historical data on the basis of which the forecast and long-term trends of selected wood products were made, was used in predicting prices. Comparisons were made between the ARIMA prediction method and the multiplicative Winters–Holt model. During the period studied (2017–2022), the changes in the market price of biomass were characterized by a wide spread of values. On average, the price of these products increased from 2017 to the end of 2022 by 125%. The price prediction analysis showed seasonal fluctuations in the case of wood chips. The uncertainty in price prediction is due to changes in supply resulting from the influence of global factors. The Diebold–Mariano test of matching accuracy confirms that the price prediction of the analyzed by-product sorts using the ARIMA and WH models is possible. The conclusion reached by comparing these two methods is that each can be used under certain market conditions of certain assortments. In the case of a stable wood product, the choice of the ARIMA model should be resolved, while in the case of price volatile products, WH will be a better choice. The difference between the predicted and actual price with ARIMA ranged from 2.4% to 11.6% and for WH from 3.7% to 29.8%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioenergy Economics: Analysis, Modeling and Application)

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Review

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37 pages, 4109 KiB

Open AccessReview

Biodiesel Production Processes with Yeast: A Sustainable Approach

by Alejandra Sánchez-Solís, Odette Lobato-Calleros, Rubén Moreno-Terrazas, Patricia Lappe-Oliveras and Elier Neri-Torres

Energies 2024, 17(2), 302; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17020302 - 07 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1573

Abstract

In recent years, renewable sources of energy have been sought due to the environmental impacts associated with fossil fuels, such as greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. A promising alternative is biodiesel, particularly when obtained using yeast, as they offer certain advantages over other microorganisms due to their resilience to grow in various conditions, short reproduction times, and lower susceptibility to bacterial infections because they thrive at lower pH levels and have the ability to utilize a wide variety of substrates. Furthermore, biodiesel produced with yeast is composed of methyl ester fatty acids (FAME), providing it with good quality and performance in internal combustion engines, resulting in reduced greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional diesel. The production of biodiesel using yeast involves six general stages, which offer various methodological alternatives with different degrees of sustainability. The objective of this review is to assess the sustainability degree of various methodologies employed in each of the stages of yeast-based biodiesel production through environmental and economic sustainability indicators. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioenergy Economics: Analysis, Modeling and Application)

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