Biomass Resource Allocation : Alternative Use Models

The Biomass Scenario Model (BSM) is a system dynamics model developed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as a tool to better understand the interaction of complex policies and their potential effects on the biofuel industry in the United States. This book provides a holistic understanding of the dynamics surrounding the allocation of biomass among uses that include traditional use, wood pellet exports, bio-based products and bioproducts, biopower and biofuels. Also discussed is a methodology for modeling tradeoffs between alternative uses of scarce biomass energy resources using a linear program (LP) designed to estimate concurrent biomass allocations to the transportation and electricity market sectors. The LP model is called the Biomass Allocation Model. Also discussed are the biomass allocation results of this methodology and the ethanol production and carbon mitigating potential of biomass allocations along with relevant sensitivities to significant model parameters.