Abstract
The use of forest biomass residues to generate electricity can contribute to the sustainability of the energy matrix, circularity in forest production chains and resource conservation. The challenge for biomass power plants is to generate as much energy as possible considering the resources available. This article aims to analyze the eco-efficiency of an electrical energy cogeneration unit from the burning of forest biomass residues, considering the historical evolution of indicators in the period between 2010 and 2019. The results indicate that the plant became more eco-efficient in the period evaluated, producing more energy in relation to the use of biomass (from 0.30 MWh t−1 in 2010 to 0.48 MWh t−1 in 2019), associated with a 55.5% reduction in ash generation for each ton of biomass used. Eco-efficiency also increased when considering the consumption of diesel oil, electricity and water. The main factor responsible for the advance of eco-efficiency indicators was the improvement in the quality of biomass consumed by the plant. An adequate understanding of the efficiency of electricity generation from forest biomass residues is important for reducing costs and environmental impacts, especially in the context of the circular economy.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the Lages Cogeneration Unit (UCLA/Engie—Lages, Santa Catarina, Brazil) for providing the data and, in particular, for the collaboration provided by Geovane Soares (Environmental Technician) and José Luiz dos Santos Dutra (Coordinator of power plant); the State University of Santa Catarina (UDESC), in particular, the Postgraduate Program in Environmental Sciences (PPGCAMB); the Foundation for the Support of Research and Innovation of the State of Santa Catarina (FAPESC) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), due to the grant of the scientific initiation scholarship.
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FJS contributed to conceptualization, data analysis, writing—review and editing, Supervision. GLJ contributed to data collection, writing—original draft. KFdS did assistance in the preparation of data and figures. RCB contributed to conceptualization, writing—revision and editing. LMCJ contributed to writing the introduction and review.
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Simioni, F.J., Jarenkow, G.L., da Silva, K.F. et al. Eco-efficiency in the transformation of forest biomass residues in electrical energy. Clean Techn Environ Policy 23, 1443–1456 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-021-02039-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-021-02039-6