Modeling Trucking Flows of Switchgrass Feedstock to a Biorefinery and Accompanying Impact on the Regional Economy: A Case Study of Tennessee

摘要

This study evaluated optimal plant gate costs for two conventional hay harvest technologies thatcould be used for harvesting and storing switchgrass feedstock for a potential 189.25 kl year−1ethanol biorefinery in East Tennessee. Applying a spatially-oriented mixed-integer mathematicalprogramming model and a GIS resource model to estimate the least plant gate cost of the twoharvest and logistics systems, results indicate the large square bale system had a lower plant gatecost when compared with the large round bale system, primarily due to the saving intransportation costs with the square bale system. The estimated truck flows of switchgrassfeedstock on the road network by month were also estimated and mapped. Moreover, theaccompanying economic impact of the expenditures on the switchgrass feedstock transportationwas estimated in the analysis. For every dollar spent on switchgrass feedstock transportation inboth harvest systems, an estimated $0.71 in economic activity would be created in the studyregion. Thus, a total $21.6 million and $16.9 million were expected to be generated in totalindustrial output for the round bale and square bale systems, respectively.