Modeling and Analysis of the Logistical Challenge of Supplying Biomass for Biofuel and Bipower

2017 USDA-NIFA Integrated Award

 

Principal Investigators and affiliations:
PI:  Dr. Bruce McCarl (Texas A&M AgriLife Research)
Co-PI: Dr. Stephen Searcy (Texas A&M AgriLife Research)
Co-PI: Dr. Jeffrey Vitale (Oklahoma State University)
Co-PI: Dr. Neil Geismar (Texas A&M University)

Funded: $148,285

Start Date: 1/01/2017

End Date: 12/31/2018

 

This project would develop methods to improve the efficiency of supply chains with a long term goal of reducing final product cost by 15% or so, making industries and bioenergy market penetration more viable plus improving its sustainability, while aiding in meeting greenhouse gas and other environmental goals. Additionally, the project would contribute toward achieving bio-economy goals in the South Central region by exploiting regional biomass availability while meeting substantial demands for liquid fuels and power.

 

Expected Outcomes

The main direct expected outcomes are: 1) Completed analyses and associated reports on logistic/supply chain system design indicating the benefits of including different components (done in a minimum of 2 reports). These will be placed on the web, used in conference presentations, released to national labs, USDA, DOE and EPA, incorporated into submitted journal articles, disseminated through Texas and Oklahoma extension channels, disseminated through the TAMU energy center newsletter, and disseminated through Texas AgriLife Corporate Relations. 2) a functioning model that is available through the project web page; 3) biomass logistics educated PhD students at TAMU and Oklahoma State through direct project roles and a broader student group through the classroom where all investigators have teaching roles. Indirectly the project will: 1) make use of biomass more feasible through improved supply chain design and 2) provide industry with a model that can be used to assist in supply chain design and in evaluating components.