Bioenergy Simulator

The Bioenergy simulator relies on spatial datasets, such as agro-ecological zones, protected areas, water scarcity distribution, population density, and power lines, to identify opportunities and limitations to utilise biomass resources for bioenergy production. The user inputs the required parameters, including the area, biomass resource and production process, and the bioenergy simulator retrieves location specific information on the bioenergy potential to run the simulation. Some default technical parameters are included as part of the simulation, but these can be edited by the user for more accurate results.

The methodology of the Bioenergy simulator can be deployed globally to provide estimates of potential bioenergy resource. It provides estimates of possible bioenergy contribution in transport, heating, and electricity.

The simulator allows users to utilise various resources and processes:

• The biomass resources include agricultural crops, featuring 14 dedicated bioenergy crops; agricultural residues, including 28 residue types; livestock waste, with 9 different animal manures; and forest plantations, which includes 52 different tree species.
• The production processes include 25 different production processes for bioenergy development, covering 6 types of biofuels in liquid, solid, and gaseous states, and 19 types of biofuel conversion technologies.

To define a resource/process, users must:

1. Select an area of interest on the map provided
2. Select a specific type of feedstock (crop, agriculture residue, livestock waste, or forest plantation)
3. Keep the default values provided or change them if better data for the area is available to the user
4. Select a bioenergy end-use (transportation, heating, or electricity)
5. Select a bioenergy conversion technology (anaerobic digestion, combustion, gasification, hydrolysis-fermentation), a process scheme screen will detail the process of conversion for your biomass of choice to its end-product

The simulator utilises different datasets depending on the selected type of biomass:

1. IIASA/FAO, Global Acro-Ecological Zones (GAEZ) - for crops and agricultural residues
2. Residue-to-product ratio based on a global literature review - for agricultural residues
3. IPCC (2006), Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories - for livestock waste
4. FAO (2003), Planted forests database by M. Varmola and A. Del Lungo - for forest plantations
5. CABI, Encyclopaedia of Forest Trees 2013 - for forest plantations

Additionally, the default values used as the simulation parameters for the bioenergy sources are obtained from a global in-depth literature review. But users can edit these values.

The result section provides users with the summary of the selected inputs, the result of the simulation, including the bioenergy yield and production, and gross electricity or heat production if applicable. The simulator will also suggest an application for the potential bioenergy production and provide further information on how to interpret the data.

The Bioenergy simulator does not assess the socio-economic feasibility or environmental impacts of the selected bioenergy value chains at any investment scale. Field surveys and in-depth assessments should be conducted to identify the most appropriate technologies for bioenergy production.

No, the Bioenergy simulator provides the theoretical potential based on the provided inputs. It does not account for self-consumption and losses at the plant installation/network.

The Bioenergy simulator is not intended to be the basis for final technology choices or investment decisions. It allows the user to perform preliminary analysis to promote modern bioenergy production options for a given area, biomass resource and associated conversion technology.

For more information refer to the user guidance section or email GARE@irena.org for feedback and questions.

A form of renewable energy derived from organic materials, known as biomass or its metabolic by-products, to produce heat, electricity, and transportation fuels.

The energy produced by bioenergy directly consumed by the user, such as electricity and transportation fuel.

A fuel, generally in liquid form, produced from biomass. Biofuels include bioethanol from sugarcane, sugar beet or maize, and biodiesel from canola or soybeans.

Material that is biological in origin and derived from living or recently living organisms.

Renewable matter of biological origin that may be directly combusted as a fuel or converted to a fuel product.

Geographical area in hectares (1 ha = 10000 m²) Modern bioenergy The term modern bioenergy is used to describe biomass converted into solid, gaseous or liquid forms in high efficiency conversion systems.

The combustion of biomass, such as wood, agricultural residues, animal waste, and charcoal, using basic technologies, such as open fires or kilns, is usually referred to as traditional biomass use.

The amount of product produced per amount of feedstock. It is commonly given as the volume of product specific production per kilogramme (kg) of feedstock supplied to the system.

Tonnage of crop produced relative to a specific land area (t/ha).

A form of renewable energy derived from organic materials, known as biomass or its metabolic by-products, to produce heat, electricity, and transportation fuels.

The energy produced by bioenergy directly consumed by the user, such as electricity and transportation fuel.

Bioenergy yield is the theoretical energy productivity of the land area unit (ha) converted from the biomass feedstock of the selected bioenergy chain (GJ/ha).

A fuel, generally in liquid form, produced from biomass. Biofuels include bioethanol from sugarcane, sugar beet or maize, and biodiesel from canola or soybeans.

A gas containing mostly methane and carbon dioxide (CO₂), produced by the bacterial decomposition of organic matter.

Material that is biological in origin and derived from living or recently living organisms.

The amount of biogas that can be produced per unit mass of volatile solids (VS) contained in the feedstock after a given amount of time under a given temperature (m3/ha).

A naturally occurring gas, CO2 is also a by-product of burning fossil fuels (such as oil, gas and coal), of burning biomass, of land use changes and of industrial processes (e.g., cement production). It is the principal anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) that affects the Earth's radiative balance. It is the reference gas against which other GHGs are measured and therefore has a Global Warming Potential.

Renewable matter of biological origin that may be directly combusted as a fuel or converted to a fuel product.

The quantity of produced electrical energy by transforming bioenergy and is commonly expressed in megawatt hours (MWh).

The quantity of energy released when a unit mass of fuel is burned in a constant volume enclosure and is expressed in Megajoule per kilogramme (MJ/kg).

Geographical area in hectares

One of the six greenhouse gases (GHGs) to be mitigated under the Kyoto Protocol. Methane is the major component of natural gas and associated with all hydrocarbon fuels. Significant emissions also occur as a result of animal husbandry and paddy rice production. Methane is also produced naturally where organic matter decays under anaerobic conditions, such as in wetlands.

The amount of product produced per amount of feedstock. It is commonly given as the volume of product specific production per kilogramme (kg) of feedstock supplied to the system.