Biomass energy production in agriculture: A weighted goal programming analysis

Energy production from biomasses can be an important resource that, when combined with other green energies such as wind power and solar plants, can contribute to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. The aim of this study is to assess how agriculture could contribute to the production of bio-energy. A...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energy policy Vol. 39; no. 3; pp. 1123 - 1131
Main Authors: Ballarin, A., Vecchiato, D., Tempesta, T., Marangon, F., Troiano, S.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2011
Elsevier
Elsevier Science Ltd
Series:Energy Policy
Subjects:
Agricultural economics
Agricultural production
Agriculture
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Applied sciences
Availability
bioenergy
Biofuels
Biological and medical sciences
Biomass
Biomass energy
Biomass energy production
biomass production
Biomass Renewable energy Land use
Climate change
Climate effects
Constraints
Crops
Dependency
Economic data
Energy
Energy economics
Energy planning
Energy policy
Exact sciences and technology
farm income
Farmers
Fossil fuels
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General, economic and professional studies
Generalities. Biometrics, experimentation. Remote sensing
Global warming
Goal programming
Green energy
Income
Italy
labor
Land use
Land utilization
Low income groups
Methodology. Modelling
Natural energy
Optimization
Plants
Power generation
Renewable energy
Renewable energy sources
Resource allocation
Revenue
Scarcity
Social change
soil
solar energy
Solar power
Studies
Traditional farming
Water
Water availability
Water scarcity
Water supply
Wind power
Wood
Italy
Renewable energy
Land use
Biomass
ISSN:0301-4215, 1873-6777
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Energy production from biomasses can be an important resource that, when combined with other green energies such as wind power and solar plants, can contribute to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. The aim of this study is to assess how agriculture could contribute to the production of bio-energy. A multi-period Weighted Goal Programming model (MpWGP) has been applied to identify the optimal land use combinations that simultaneously maximise farmers' income and biomass energy production under three concurrent constraints: water, labour and soil availability. Alternative scenarios are considered that take into account the effect of climate change and social change. The MpWGP model was tested with data from the Rovigo county area (Italy) over a 15-year time period. Our findings show that trade-off exists between the two optimisation targets considered. Although the optimisation of the first target requires traditional agricultural crops, which are characterised by high revenue and a low production of biomass energy, the latter would be achievable with intensive wood production, namely, high-energy production and low income. Our results also show the importance of the constraints imposed, particularly water availability; water scarcity has an overall negative effect and specifically affects the level of energy production. ► The aim of this study is to assess how agriculture could contribute to the production of bio-energy. ► A multi-period (15-year) Weighted Goal Programming model (MpWGP) has been applied. ► We identify the optimal land use combinations that simultaneously maximise farmers' income and biomass energy production. ► Three concurrent constraints have been considered: water, labour and soil availability.► Water scarcity has an overall negative effect and specifically affects the level of energy production.
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ISSN:0301-4215
1873-6777
DOI:10.1016/j.enpol.2010.11.035