Evaluation of Multi-Feedstock Biomass Supply Chain Design: A Simulation Based Approach

Biomass as a source for transportation fuel and chemical production has been touted as a potential means to boost renewable energy use in the USA. However, the nature of the feedstock presents specific challenges and uncertainty for supply chain stakeholders and decision makers that are often overlooked. Influencing factors such as seasonal variations in feedstock availability and fluctuations in product demand can have large impacts on the long term profitability of biorefinery activities. Discrete Event Simulation modeling is one approach to evaluate impacts of supply chain uncertainties on system performance. A simulation model that fits into the larger context of a multidisciplinary framework for regional biorefinery supply chain design composed of both supply chain and chemical process optimization is presented here. The usefulness of the model to assess long term performance of alternate supply chain designs and evaluate the impacts of policy decisions will be demonstrated.