Design and optimization of a supply chain for cogeneration of electrical and thermal energy from forest biomass

Abstract

A forestry-industrial company from the north of Misiones province buys electricity for covering its energy demand. The installation of a cogeneration plant for producing thermal and electrical energy from biomass in order to satisfy the company demand and upload the surplus to the electricity grid is researched in this work. Several options for supplying the co-generation plant exist and different alternatives; namely pulp chip, industrial waste, forest waste and industrial residues from sawmills; must be taken into account and selected. In this framework, the calorific value, costs and market of different biomass fuels are necessary data for the optimal setting of the company supply chain. This study develops a mathematical model for optimizing it with a global perspective in order to identify the best decisions and supply-flows. The objective function aims at setting the supply chain configuration that maximizes profits and selects the best biomass supply-sources and products-destinations. Optimal flows within the supply chain are also fixed. The MILP model is solved with GAMS and its optimal configuration on four realistic scenarios is analyzed.