ELECTRICAL POWER GENERATION PLANTS USING BIOMASS RESOURCES: A GIS TOOL FOR THE BEST GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

摘要

One of the main advantages of usingbiomass, as an energy resource in electrical applications, versus the conventional electric power supplies, is its renewable and environmentally friendly character and its main drawback is the economical costs associated with this kind of resource. The integration of the biomass in the energy planning of a region requires the development of advanced planning tools that allow for assessing and optimizing that economical costs in order to identify the optimal location for the biomass investments. This paper presents an original methodology and the corresponding models developed to evaluate the locations of biomass power plants taking advantage of the existing biomass resources in a region in an optimal way. The corresponding computer tools have been created in a Geographical Information System (GIS) and they have been applied to the region of La Rioja (Spain). These tools are part of a main research project sponsored by the Spanish authorities and the European Union.