Biomass integration for energy recovery and efficient use of resources: Tomsk Region

Abstract Resource recovery has an essential role in achieving sustainable development. This study aims to minimise the environmental footprint of biomass integration for energy recovery, where a wide range of biomass, including manure, residual and forest wood, are considered. The assessed case study is the Tomsk region in the Russian Federation, focusing on GHG (Greenhouse Gas) footprints (CO2, CH4, N2O). The adapted clustering-based method suggested that biomass integration, consisting of 16 districts, can be divided into three major clusters. The clusters could facilitate further resource planning, considering the land-use footprint of different energy generation. This study identified biomass integration design with minimum GHG footprint (origin of biomass and transportation) of - 217 kt CO2eq/y mainly contributed by the avoided methane from manure. Scenario 1, where the energy demand (3,723 TJ/y) is solely fulfilled by forest wood, contributes to 85.73 kt CO2eq/y. By limiting waste biomass (manure and residual) for local utilisation only (without integration), 60% higher GHG emission (- 90.2 kt CO2eq/y) is identified compared to the identified solution with a minimum GHG footprint. The environmental sustainability of bioenergy is highly dependent on the type of biomass, transporting activities, and heating value. It is crucial to evaluate case by case situation in substituting fossil-based energy or other renewable energy.