Journal of Fundamentals of Renewable Energy and Applications
Open Access

BICOM - Model for evaluation of locally available biomass competitiveness for decentralized space heating in villages and small towns

World Bioenergy Congress and Expo

June 13-14, 2016 Rome, Italy

Kamila Vavrova, Jaroslav Knapek, Jan Weger, Jiri Beranovsky and Tomas Kralik

Silva Taroucy Research Institute for Landscape and Ornamental Gardening, Czech Republic
Czech Technical niversity in Prague, Czech Republic
EkoWatt, Czech Republic

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Fundam Renewable Energy Appl

Abstract :

Biomass can play significant role in substituting fossil fuels for space heating and hot water preparation on local level. The Czech Republic is the example of country where solid fuels, namely domestic brown coal, is still massively utilized for this purpose, esp. in smaller towns and villages. Locally available biomass is one of the options how to substitute fossil fuels and to reduce local air pollution. Local sources of biomass consist of: Residuals from forestry, residuals from conventional crop (straw) and intentionally planted biomass on agricultural land. Assuming reality of small towns or villages one should assume that high majority of premises (mainly family houses) is heated from local/individual boilers. This requires transformation of biomass into suitable form ��? pellets and briquettes. Competitiveness of biomass used for space heating here depends on: (1) availability of biomass in given area, (2) cost of biomass obtaining (e.g. cost of energy crop production), (3) cost of biomass processing and logistic, (4) cost of conventional fossil fuels (namely coal). Paper presents methodology (and case example for the Czech Republic) of BICOM - BIomass COmpetitiveness Model. Model consist of following modules: (1) identification of biomass potential in given area using GIS modeling (based on climate and soil condition), (2) modeling of biomass price (using methodology of minimum price from the point of producer��? view and evaluating opportunity cost of conventional agriculture production), (3) modeling of biomass processing and logistics, (4) modeling economic competitiveness of biomass utilization with the coal (assuming needed substitution of heating devices).

Biography :

Email: vavrova@vukoz.cz