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