The Optimal Development Paths of Competing Bioenergy Technologies : An Economic and Environmental Evaluation

Bioenergy development increases energy security, improves energy availability, and mitigates climate change. Numerous bioenergy technologies are feasible and applicable, but market conditions and local characteristics vary production efficiency and technology effectiveness. This study investigates the role of bioenergy production and its role in emission reduction across multiple feedstocks, and biofuel and biopower possibilities. We examine how alternative ethanol, electricity, and emission prices alter production choices. Several findings arise. First, we find at lower (higher) emission prices producers favor fast pyrolysis (torrefaction), which yields high electricity (biochar, emission reduction) production. Second, biofuel production decreases with emission price increasing, as it is competing biomass with pyrolysis, which yield higher emission reduction especially when torrefaction is applied. Third, among sweet potatoes, crop and orchard residue and poplar, sweet potato is the major feedstock, and its production can be expanded to meet the increasing demand of pyrolysis. Finally, among the tested energy and emission price scenarios, bioenergy can provide up to 4.4% of electricity demand, which can help increase the domestic energy security in Taiwan. A further study can be done to investigate the impact of other carbon-rich resources including municipal solid, manure, and sewer sludge, and solar and wind farms on renewable energy generation