Biomass is the largest source of renewable energy carrier in the European Union (EU) contributing to over 60% of renewable energy, with the majority of supply coming from domestic sources. However, an increasing significant amount of feedstock is imported, either due to domestic undersupply or higher production costs within the country. This article provides an up-to-date view of bioenergy supply, demand and trade in Northwest Europe to 2030. Projections of the energy system model Green-X are compared to recent national studies concerning bioenergy imports. The results show that there is a sizeable gap of the projection bandwidths after the 2020 horizon. Projections might under- or overestimate biomass potential in certain cases, depending on whether they are derived from national reports or regional models, whether future policy developments were taken into account etc. The ranges of biomass consumption are multiple times apart by 2020 already, and the gap increases by 2030. Total biomass imports in the region can range between 14 and 44.3 Mt by 2020 and 18.5–60 Mt by 2030.@en

To enhance the transportation ability of biomass and improve its material properties such as energy density and hydrophobicity, biomass is modified by torrefaction. This process, counting as a mild pyrolysis, takes place between 200 C and 300 C. The densified torrefied product is usable as a biofuel for heat and energy production. Over the past years, research on the torrefaction process itself has been intensified and has led to a further understanding of the main chemical mechanisms and their effects. However, the logistics and handling aspects for the supply chain have hardly been covered yet in research. Similar to the use of wood pellets, factors such as dust generation and the risk of dust explosions could pose a serious issue for transport and storage of densified torrefied products and should therefore be examined. The aim of this paper is to present the state of the art on torrefied biomass and biomass logistics as a basis for the research into the handling characteristics of the supply chain. Firstly, densification and torrefaction are introduced. Following, an overview on literature of the handling aspects of torrefied material is presented. Conclusions will be given on the approach to identify key factors for further research on the handling of torrefied biomass.@en

Dust generation when handling wood pellets is related to the durability of the product, in other words the wear rate of particles subject to forces. During transport, storage and handling wood pellets undergo different forces when interacting with different pieces of equipment. This paper assesses the representativeness of the tumbling can test in relation to transfer chutes, by comparing forces acting on wood pellets in durability tests and in transfer chutes using DEM. The study also incorporates effects such as shape and size variations. The results showed that the tumbling can test underestimates compressive and tangential forces. Since the tested material is subject to milder conditions than in reality, it can be concluded that this test is not representative for the conditions in the supply chain of wood pellets.@en

This thesis deals with the design of solid biomass terminals from a strategic operational point of view. The design of terminals is here characterized as the total equipment selection, purchase, utilization and salvage within the terminal bounds.@en

Wood pellet imports are expected to increase in the European Union and Southeast Asia by 2030, considering pellets are the main feedstock used for co-firing in power plants throughout these regions. Due to the material's physical and biological properties, the equipment at an import terminal need to be different than what is used for other bulk material. Thus, most of the common problems associated with handling can be avoided. Dust emission and explosions, degradation in storage, self-heating and ignition are important criteria when designing a wood pellet port terminal, and can greatly affect associated logistics. Despite some availability of data concerning the handling of pellets, there is a lack of insight into the equipment and operations of actual handling facilities. A detailed literature research was performed in order to ascertain the level of the scientific background on the subject. Subsequently, visits in pellet facilities in the Netherlands and in-depth interviews with representatives were conducted and serve as a means of gaining an overview of current industry practices and equipment used for the handling of wood pellets. The main objective of this work is to evaluate the state-of-the-art in wood pellet handling in import terminals. This way, future bottlenecks can be identified and actions needed to overcome them can be determined. The analysis performed shows that while wood pellet terminals might be able to cope with the low amounts being traded currently, a reexamination and redesign of terminal facilities to accommodate the increased volumes will probably be required by 2030.@en

This paper investigates the optimization of biomass terminal equipment deployment. A mixed integer linear programming model is developed and applied to minimize the terminal's investment and operational costs related to dedicated and partially used or shared equipment between a terminal's operational steps. The results minimize annual terminal costs through equipment and infrastructure selection and utilization. Tipping points where the technology and equipment type or size change in relation to the increasing throughput are highlighted. Analytical results emphasize the importance of storage costs in all biomass terminals, as well as the critical influence of operational costs in larger facilities.@en

The design and development of an offshore port terminal is a complex task that involves distinctive design and decision challenges. In this paper, we propose the implementation of a floating, modular, platform that can act as an additional terminal of a port, with the aim of expanding its current container handling capacity. To this end, we introduce a generic methodology to tackle three aspects of an offshore terminal: terminal layout design, strategic logistics optimization, and operational process coordination. The terminal layout design includes the modular arrangements, handling on and between platform modules by the associated equipment. To select the final layout design concept, we evaluate different alternatives on criteria such as layout complexity, scalability, and the number of moves associated with the modular nature of the platform. Subsequently, the selected concept is given as input to a strategic logistics optimization approach that introduces a mixed-integer linear programming model. The proposed model minimizes the capital, operational, and maintenance costs of the floating modular terminal, i.e., number and size of modules, number and type of equipment, as well as capacities. In parallel, we develop a simulation of the floating terminal’s hinterland connections, where the number and type of required vessels are specified for relevant destinations and transport configurations. At the operational level, we focus on the coordination of handling equipment on the offshore platform by employing a tailored simulation/optimization approach. Our methodology is demonstrated on a case study that considers accommodating the growth of a port in the Hamburg-Le Havre range via the use of a modular, floating, transport, and logistics hub.@en

This work uses pilot examples of CO2 enhanced oil recovery to analyze whether and under which circumstances it is exergetically favorable to sequester CO2 through enhanced oil recovery. We find that the net storage efficiency (ratio between the stored and captured CO2) of the carbon capture and storage (CCS)-only projects is maximally 6–56% depending on the fuel used in the power plants. With the current state of technology, the CCS process will re-emit a minimum of 0.43–0.94 kg of CO2 per kg of CO2 stored. From thermodynamics point of view, CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) with CCS option is not sustainable, i.e., during the life cycle of the process more energy is consumed than the energy produced from oil. For the CCS to be efficient in reducing CO2 levels (1) the exergetic cost of CO2 separation from flue gas should be reduced, and/or (2) the capture process should not lead to additional carbon emission. Furthermore, we find that the exergy recovery factor of CO2-EOR depends on the CO2 utilization factor, which is currently in the low range of 2–4 bbl/tCO2 based on the field data. Exergetically, CO2 EOR with storage option produces 30–40% less exergy compared to conventional CO2 enhanced oil recovery projects with CO2 supplied from natural sources; however, this leads to storage of >400 kg of extra CO2 per barrel of oil produced.@en

Port terminals on floating modular platforms are a conceivable solution for the problem of limited space and water depths restrictions of ports in estuary regions. A design of a dedicated Transport&Logistic hub has been developed in the scope of the Horizon 2020 project Space@Sea. This paper addresses dedicated options of waterborne hinterland transports and discusses opportunities for bypassing onshore terminals by means of river-sea or sea-going inland vessels. A tailored simulation method for ship operations utilises a specific cost model and is applied to derived demand scenarios. Cargo flow statistics of an onshore port have been projected onto the hub to identify relevant waterborne transports to the hinterland. Three different vessel types are implemented, whereas inland vessels are considered with two different sizes. A comparison of round trip durations and transport costs per transported container between a floating terminal and a relevant hinterland port pointed out, that a non-stop connection with sea-going inland vessels is the economically favourable solution. A feeder vessel is the faster solution in coastal waters but it can not compensate the time saved by omitted terminal visits on a direct hinterland connection.@en

Dust generation is related to the durability of products, in other words the wear rate of particles subject to forces. During transport, storage and handling the wood pellets are undergoing different forces within different pieces of equipment. For example impact forces when particles fall down or impact geometries and compressive forces when in storage. The objective of this paper is to assess the representativeness of the socalled tumbling can test in relation to handling conditions in the supply chain for wood pellets. Therefore forces acting on particles in the tumbling can on the one side and during loading and discharging of a flat bottom silo on the other side were compared by Discrete Element Model simulations. It can be concluded that in the presented cases the tumbling can underestimates the handling conditions of the material in reality.@en

This paper presents a mathematical programming model for planning investment strategies in a modular floating terminal. The model is developed with the objective of minimizing the net present costs of a terminal's investments, equipment selection and operational costs over a long term future. The problem formulation evaluates time dependent parameters, such as container throughput forecasts, and performance, quality and availability of equipment over time. The results provide a visualization of investments for a modular floating terminal design, and are geared towards assisting stakeholders in strategic level planning – the optimal way to invest in new terminal setups, infrastructure and equipment selection.@en

This paper presents a mathematical programming model for planning investment strategies in a modular floating terminal. The model is developed with the objective of minimizing the net present costs of a terminal's investments, equipment selection and operational costs over a long term future. The problem formulation evaluates time dependent parameters, such as container throughput forecasts, and performance, quality and availability of equipment over time. The results provide a visualization of investments for a modular floating terminal design, and are geared towards assisting stakeholders in strategic level planning – the optimal way to invest in new terminal setups, infrastructure and equipment selection.@en