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Abstract: Biomass is a geographically dependent renewable resource which can be used for production of fuels and chemicals. This study develops a methodology for determining the suitable locations, optimal sizes and number of biomass-based facilities for a particular region through transport cost optimization which is applied for locating pellet plants in the Province of Alberta. The methodology also includes computation of local optimal size and cost of pellet production considering road network and spatially varied biomass. Different constraints and environmental factors for siting biomass-based facilities are analyzed to derive a land suitability model. Based on location–allocation model, 13 plants could be built in the Province of Alberta with transportation costs in the range of $21–33per tonne. The locally determined unit costs of pellet plants vary within $108–121 with optimal plant capacities of 150,000–250,000tonnes per year. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Waste-to-energy (WtE) is one of the municipal solid waste (MSW) management pathways that can reduce waste volumes while recovering energy. There has been considerable focus on using MSW for energy production; however, there are few integrated assessments of the optimal location and scale of the conversion of MSW to energy. This research develops a novel framework that integrates the analysis of candidate sites for MSW gasification facilities using a geographical information system (GIS) through a multi-criterion decision-making (MCDM) model with a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model to determine optimal scale and location. The most suitable candidate locations were identified through a GIS-based location-allocation analysis. A MILP model integrated with GIS was then used to determine the minimum per-unit electricity production costs by optimizing the numbers, locations, and sizes of the proposed WtE and preprocessing facilities. The key inputs to the optimization model are actual road and railway transportation distances, WtE gasification and preprocessing facility capital and installation costs, operation and maintenance costs, gate fee and tipping fees (the fee for disposal of ash at the landfill), and the municipal guidelines. The proposed integrated framework was applied in a case study for Alberta, a western province in Canada. The results indicate that at a 10% rate of return, electricity production is cost-competitive with current electricity prices. The per-unit cost of electricity production (COEP) was found to be only 16.14 $/MWh when the gate fee was treated as a revenue component. The optimal plant location was in Edmonton and the optimum plant size was 175 MW. Sensitivity and uncertainty analysis was conducted to understand the critical input parameters that impact the COEP. The results indicate that the COEP is most sensitive to changes in tipping fees, plant efficiency, capital cost, discount rate, and transportation cost. The developed framework is critical for investment decisions and policy development, and it can be applied globally with adjustments to data and assumptions. [Display omitted] • A novel integrated GIS-based optimization model is developed for MSW supply chain. • A GIS-based MCDM model is used to identify the candidate sites for WtE facilities. • ArcGIS network analysis is used to determine actual transportation distances. • The per unit COEP, 16.14 $/MWh, is competitive with the market price. • The proposed framework optimizes WtE facility numbers, locations, and sizes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alberta's food processing industry is the second largest food waste producer after the household sector. Most of the waste currently produced from the food processing industry is landfilled. Decomposing landfill waste, moreover, emits greenhouse gases (GHG), which contribute to global warming. In this paper, we estimated the amount of food waste produced by Alberta's food processing industry by developing a geographical information system (GIS)-based model with data from food processing companies in the province. The companies were selected such that all sizes, types, and geographic locations were considered. The information was gathered on the amount and characteristics of food waste, the location of the processing facilities, and the food waste disposal method and then the total amount of food waste generated in Alberta was estimated. In addition, GIS maps were created to show the distribution of food waste throughout the province and the availability intensity. Finally, we estimated the potential energy that could be produced in the form of biogas and electricity using Alberta's food processing waste and mapped it as well. There is a potential to generate 852 GWh of electricity per year from Alberta's food processing waste, which is about 1% of the province's total electricity generation. This potential capacity could help in the development of waste-to-value-added facilities in Alberta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]