Prioritization of Bioethanol Production Systems from Agricultural and Waste Agricultural Biomass Using Multi-criteria Decision Making

In this paper, the problem of sustainability assessment of various types of bioethanol plants is addressed. This represents the first evaluation of 30 bioethanol systems fed by agricultural and waste agricultural biomass in Iran, using multi-criteria decision analysis relying on seven sustainability...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:BioPhysical Economics and Resource Quality 2019-03, Vol.4 (1), Article 4
Main Authors: Safarian, Sahar, Sattari, Sorena, Unnthorsson, Runar, Hamidzadeh, Zeinab
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural economics
Agricultural wastes
Agronomy
Biofuels
Biomass
Data-driven Science
Decision analysis
Decision making
Economics
Economics and Management
Energy
Energy consumption
Energy Policy
Ethanol
Farm buildings
Farming systems
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases
Land use
Modeling and Theory Building
Multiple criterion
Natural Resource and Energy Economics
Natural Resources
Original Paper
Potatoes
Preferences
Strawberries
Sugarcane
Sustainability
Sustainable energy
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Summary:In this paper, the problem of sustainability assessment of various types of bioethanol plants is addressed. This represents the first evaluation of 30 bioethanol systems fed by agricultural and waste agricultural biomass in Iran, using multi-criteria decision analysis relying on seven sustainability criteria (total cost, benefit, fossil energy ratio, energy use efficiency, greenhouse gas [GHG] emission, land use, and production yield) and five representative decision-maker preference scenarios. The results show that most agricultural systems are not feasible in terms of economics, energy, and the environment. However, agricultural wastes are attractive feedstocks for bioethanol production, since they are cost-effective, renewable, and abundant. The results across several preference scenarios for waste crops indicate that producing bioethanol from sugarcane currently scores highest in sustainability for Iran. Barley and strawberry have the lowest ranks in most scenarios due to their high GHG emissions and low production yield. In addition to sugarcane, potato and sugar beet are the most beneficial from the energy and environmental perspectives. Pear and apple also have high-middle status among the considered scenarios for Iran. These results suggest that design policies promoting the use of agricultural wastes for energy production may appeal to decision makers with a diverse range of economic, environmental, and energy preferences. Finally, this type of research can provide arguments to support decisions tending toward a more structured and strategic approach in implementing sustainable energy policies.
ISSN:2366-0112
2366-0120
DOI:10.1007/s41247-019-0052-0