A GIS Imagery Based Woody Biomass Biorefinery Location Model for Pennsylvania
Open Access
Author:
Liu, Yaru Grace
Graduate Program:
Business Administration
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
February 11, 2019
Committee Members:
Evelyn Ann Thomchick, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor Robert Alexander Novack, Committee Chair/Co-Chair Saurabh Bansal, Committee Member Thomas Lehman Richard, Committee Member Thomas Lehman Richard, Outside Member
Fuels from woody biomass are an important part of the bioenergy economy. Since wood residues are dense, logistics costs are a significant part of a biorefinery's operations. This paper presents an optimization model for the location of a biorefinery. Inputs to this model include estimates of biomass availability, well as biomass transportation, inventory and processing costs. This model improves on previous estimates of the biomass availability input. In the past, models that estimate biomass availability have been on the county level, or at best, at the level of Forest Inventory Analysis (FIA) plots (78m x 70m). This paper uses textural metrics derived from National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) aerial imagery at a 10 m resolution to classify and estimate the amount of biomass available in the region of study. Clearfield County in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is used as a test case.
