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In recent years, microalgae have received a lot of attention as an alternative feedstock for biofuel production due to numerous advantages such as fast growth rate, high lipid and carbohydrate content, and lack of competition with food production. However, one of the main barriers preventing the commercialization of biofuel production from microalgae is related to the supply chain management issues, and research efforts in the industry and academic communities have been put into this area to deliver solutions. This paper provides a comprehensive and systematic review of studies in the context of the microalgae-to-biofuel supply chain to investigate problems that must be addressed to develop a reliable supply chain for real-world applications. Firstly, an introduction of biofuel production from microalgae and the general structure of the microalgae-based biofuel supply chain are presented. Secondly, decision-making levels in the microalgae biofuel supply chain along with associated supply chain decisions are discussed. Thirdly, the different sources of uncertainty that affect the performance of the supply chain as well as optimization approaches for dealing with uncertainty are reviewed. Finally, conclusions and directions for further research are outlined. • This study investigates the state of the art of researches on microalgae-based biofuel supply chain modeling. • An all-inclusive framework for designing microalgae biomass to biofuel supply chain is proposed. • Geographic information system and mathematical modeling integration helps to find the optimal location for algae cultivation. • Most papers addressed the strategic and tactical decision-making level, at the operational level, they are relatively limited. • Uncertainty sources in the algal biofuel supply chain and practical approaches to deal with each source are elaborated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop a decisional framework and a mathematical model for the sustainable design of biodiesel supply chain networks (BSCND). We consider a broad group of sustainable aims, i.e. standard economic goals (revenue and logistics costs of BSCND), environmental issues based on a biodiesel production life cycle assessment (LCA), and the social incidental aspects (e.g. crime control, political stability, and community attitude, among others). The framework begins with a simulation of the biodiesel production system, feeding later, with suitable input parameters and suitable solutions, and a macro-location model designed to establish the regional positioning of biofuel conversion plants. Optimal regions are used as initial feasible solution space for the proposed micro-location model. In this part of the framework, we introduce an adaptation of Extended Goal Programming to rank the best municipalities (definitive locations) emphasizing the social aspects under consideration. The framework application is set up in the following Colombian context: first generation biodiesel production from palm oil feedstock. Our computational results indicate that the Colombian city of Rionegro (in the Santader region) is the most sustainable location for a new biodiesel plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of solid wood biofuels for energy production in heating plants has increased drastically during the last decades. Great interest has been shown in replacing unsustainable road transport of wood fuel with more sustainable intermodal transport. This paper maps the common business models for biofuel transport in Sweden and suggests how these models may be developed to accommodate intermodal transport. A view of the biofuel supply chain as five overlapping networks (industry, material, operations, transport, and infrastructure) connected by four transaction markets (sourcing, operations, transport, and traffic) have been used. Four typical business models have been found: Regional/National Biofuel Company, Local Biofuel Company, Heating Plant Own Account, and Wood Processing Industry. Cooperation and vertical integration among the actors are important to reach the large transport volumes required for intermodal transport. Key issues to increase the intermodal potential are: increased vertical integration and cooperation, sharing of transport resources and infrastructure, joint purchases, outsourcing to expert actors, building trust and open communication, and not underestimating the complexity of intermodal transport. The results have implications for any actor interested in developing intermodal transport or policy measures. The contribution includes the new approach of developing business models by using the five-layer network-market model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing energy demand and the rising levels of greenhouse gas emissions have increased the necessity of bioenergy and sustainable energy generation. The sustainable bioenergy supply chain is the key to produce sustainable biofuel. This paper points to render an optimization model for planning a versatile and dependable biomass-to-bioenergy sustainable supply chain network in which crop residuals from several agricultural sectors, multi-transportation disruption modes, multi-biorefineries, multi-biogas plants, and multi-market centers are investigated for two bioenergy sources, namely biofuel and biogas. For this reason, supply chain cost optimization, emissions of feedstock transport, processing, and distributing end biofuel to respective markets are utilized. The multi-setup-multi-delivery (MSMD) concept is incorporated and lead time crashing cost is applied to minimize the lead time in this model. The carbon emission costs at all steps and the variable production rate for the production of bioenergy are included within the model. Finally, one small-scale data and another large-scale data of six agricultural areas, four biorefineries, four biogas plants, and six markets are considered to validate the model's usefulness. The model's goal is to show bioenergy's effect to make a sustainable supply chain of biofuel and biogas. The numerical results reveal that the cost of bioenergy production contributed 54.12%, a major extent of the whole cost in biorefinery and biogas plants. The transportation segment is the preeminent initiator of carbon emissions with 83.33% in the entire carbon emission within the whole supply chain. Although, transportation cost contributed 33.09% of the total cost, the multi setup-delivery-multi-delivery policy minimized the whole supply chain cost. The results provide a systematic guideline for developing a sustainable biofuel supply-chain by minimizing cost, various aspects of transportation logistics, and multi-model alternatives under reduced energy effects. • Energy demand and two approaches of biofuel and biogas production are evaluated. • Reduction of the supply chain network's total cost. • Optimizing allocation of the appropriate quantity of residual biomass and biofuel. • Reducing energy consumption by using variable production rate. • An intelligent logistics system with multi-disruption is addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]