An Optimization Model for Energy Crop Supply

In this article we describe an optimization model, a mixed integer program, to determine the optimal locations and capacity sizes of biomassbased facilities in energy crop supply chains, and demonstrate its use using data for Great Britain. We show the utility of the model for planning the optimal locations of biomassbased facilities by investigating the supply of feedstock fromMiscanthusfor Combined Heat and Power (CHP) in Great Britain, based on data of current electricity demand. Results show that CHP cost directly influences its optimal location, and the price of bioelectricity fromMiscanthus. At the coarse spatial resolution of the available energy demand data, the sale price ofMiscanthusdoes not greatly influence the quantity ofMiscanthussold in Great Britain. Only when the hypothetical sale price ofMiscanthuswas closer to CHP cost, was the quantity ofMiscanthussold influenced by the variation in the sale price ofMiscanthus. In future, we will apply the model using electricity and heat demand data at fine spatial scale currently being located, which will allow the implications of local production ofMiscanthusfor CHP to be explored.