Keywords
biofuels; spatial modelling; refinery; agricultural supply.
Location
Session A2: Interoperability, Reusability, and Integrated Systems
Start Date
12-7-2016 11:10 AM
End Date
12-7-2016 11:30 AM
Abstract
The search for energetic independence, for boosting local economies and for reducing polluting emissions, has supported bioenergy’s development and biofuels in particular. Mandatory biofuels incorporation rates have been recently established in several countries, including the European Union, in order to promote the use of renewable energetic resources in spite of several criticisms toward biofuels relating to their impacts on food security, the environment and the conflicts associated with resource allocations. To study existing concerns on the growth, the profitability, the limiting factors biofuels, as well as the impacts of current policies in force, a highly parameterized operational modelling tool (AGRAF) dedicated to the European area has been developed. Based on the coupling of three economic models (AROPAj, OURSEurope and GIRAF), each one representing a key sector of the biofuel production chain (respectively agriculture, refining and biofuel manufacturers), his approach allows to assess different scenarios based on different technical, economic, environmental and political criteria. Furthermore, it helps highlighting the biofuel production potential growth (quantity, nature, location, by products and polluting emissions), related costs (investments, transportation, raw material) and exchanges between the agents. AGRAF incorporates biomass and biofuels importations from outside Europe and takes into account both first and second generation biofuels (involved in the European biofuel policy scheme for 2030). These features help identifying the levers and opportunities for reaching European Union bioenergy’s targets over a medium-long term.
Included in
Civil Engineering Commons, Data Storage Systems Commons, Environmental Engineering Commons, Hydraulic Engineering Commons, Other Civil and Environmental Engineering Commons
From raw material to biofuel demand: the AGRAF model
Session A2: Interoperability, Reusability, and Integrated Systems
The search for energetic independence, for boosting local economies and for reducing polluting emissions, has supported bioenergy’s development and biofuels in particular. Mandatory biofuels incorporation rates have been recently established in several countries, including the European Union, in order to promote the use of renewable energetic resources in spite of several criticisms toward biofuels relating to their impacts on food security, the environment and the conflicts associated with resource allocations. To study existing concerns on the growth, the profitability, the limiting factors biofuels, as well as the impacts of current policies in force, a highly parameterized operational modelling tool (AGRAF) dedicated to the European area has been developed. Based on the coupling of three economic models (AROPAj, OURSEurope and GIRAF), each one representing a key sector of the biofuel production chain (respectively agriculture, refining and biofuel manufacturers), his approach allows to assess different scenarios based on different technical, economic, environmental and political criteria. Furthermore, it helps highlighting the biofuel production potential growth (quantity, nature, location, by products and polluting emissions), related costs (investments, transportation, raw material) and exchanges between the agents. AGRAF incorporates biomass and biofuels importations from outside Europe and takes into account both first and second generation biofuels (involved in the European biofuel policy scheme for 2030). These features help identifying the levers and opportunities for reaching European Union bioenergy’s targets over a medium-long term.
