Aspects of Logistics in Biomass Supply for Energy Production

Energy production from biomass is now a very popular trend in energy generation. These initiatives are supported by the European Union legislation and state governments. Undoubtedly, the idea of renewable energy production can be justified and promising. However, it should be considered from a wider perspective of supply chain than merely focusing on the share of renewable sources in total energy production. The economic and ecological importance of biomass use to energy generation largely depends on the logistics of biomass supply to power plants. The location of biomass sources and the organization of supply are very important stages that impact on final economic results of energy production. Furthermore, the improper choice of means of transport and process organization for managing renewable sources of energy might have a negative ecological effect. Therefore, the authors attempted to analyze the cost-related aspects of biomass supply (including the seasonal biomass price fluctuation) to the analyzed power plant and the effect of this factor on financial results of energy production.