IMPROVING LOGISTICS FOR BIOMASS SUPPLY FROM ENERGY CROPS IN EUROPE: MAIN RESULTS FROM THE LOGIST'EC PROJECT

摘要

Cost-efficient, environmental-friendly and socially sustainable biomass supply chains are urgentlyrnneeded to achieve the 2020 targets of the Strategic Energy Technologies-Plan of the European Union, which are likelyrnto be impeded by the potential scarcity of lignocellulosic biomass from agriculture. Innovative techniques for croprnmanagement, biomass harvesting and pre-treatment, storage and transport offer a prime avenue to increase biomassrnsupply while keeping costs down and minimizing adverse environmental impacts. The LogistEC project aimed atrndeveloping new or improved technologies for all steps of the logistics chains, and to assess their sustainability at supplyarearnlevel for small to large-scale bio-based projects. It encompassed all types of lignocellulosic crops: annual andrnpluri-annual crops, perennial grasses, and short-rotation coppice, and included pilot- to industrial-scale demonstrations,rnin particular around 2 existing bioenergy and biomaterials value-chains in Europe (in Eastern France and SouthernrnSpain). This paper reviews the main results obtained in the project on the main components of logistics chains, regardingrnfeedstock production systems, harvesting and post-harvest handling, storage, densification and pre-treatment ofrnbiomass. The information and tools delivered by the project provides a first step to guide in incremental improvementsrnas well as systemic changes in biomass feedstock supply chains from energy crops.