Orientador: Samuel Conceição de Oliveira / Banca: Rondinelli Donizetti Herculano / Banca: André Ribeiro Lins de Albuquerque / Resumo: Neste estudo, realizou-se a análise da influência da pressão e da temperatura do vapor bem como da implementação de aquecedores regenerativos sobre a geração de bioenergia e a eficiência térmica (energética) em ciclos de cogeração no setor sucroenergético, considerando para priorização da geração de energia elétrica, consumo total do bagaço gerado no processo de produção de açúcar e álcool e moendas acionadas por motores elétricos. Para tanto, foram realizadas simulações dos ciclos de potência a vapor operando em diferentes condições de pressão e temperatura de vapor comumente empregadas no setor (pressão de 67 bar, em temperaturas de 490, 520 e 540°C e pressão de 100 bar à temperatura de 540°C) e temperatura da água de alimentação da caldeira variando entre 115 e 180°C, sendo a menor temperatura (115°C) aplicada em ciclos CEST (Condensing-Extraction Steam Turbine) convencional e as demais (140, 160 e 180°C) em ciclos CEST com pré-aquecedores regenerativos. Foram realizadas simulações para demandas de vapor pelo processo produtivo variando entre 380 e 460 kg/t de cana processada, em intervalos de 20 kg/t. As simulações foram baseadas em equações de conservação de massa e energia aplicadas ao sistema, as quais foram resolvidas usando-se o software Cycle-Tempo. Os resultados obtidos permitiram verificar que: (i) o aumento da temperatura e pressão de vapor proporciona um aumento na geração de energia e na eficiência energética do ciclo; (ii) a introdução de pré-aquecedores fecha... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: In this study, the influence of steam pressure and temperature as well as the implementation of regenerative heaters on the bioenergy generation and thermal (energetic) efficiency in cogeneration cycles in the sucroenergy sector was analyzed. For prioritization of electric power generation, it was considered total consumption of the bagasse generated in the sugar and alcohol production process and mills activated by electric motors. For this purpose, steam power cycle simulations were performed at different pressure and vapor temperature conditions commonly used in the industry (pressure of 67 bar, at temperatures of 490, 520 and 540°C and pressure of 100 bar at a temperature of 540°C) and boiler feed water temperature ranging from 115 to 180°C, the lowest temperature (115°C) applied in conventional Condensing-Extraction Steam Turbine cycles and the other (140, 160 and 180°C) in CEST cycles with regenerative preheaters. Simulations were carried out for steam demands from the production process, varying between 380 and 460 kg/t of processed cane, at 20 kg/t intervals. The simulations were based on mass and energy conservation equations applied to the system, which were solved using the Cycle-Tempo software. The obtained results allowed to verify that: (i) the increase of the temperature and vapor pressure provides an increase on the generation of energy and the energetic efficiency of the cycle; (ii) the introduction of closed high-pressure preheaters in conventional cycles increases both the generation of electrical energy and energetic efficiency; (iii) the implementation of low pressure preheaters in cycles with high pressure preheaters...(Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

O presente estudo visou avaliar alguns parâmetros de desempenho operacional das operações de enleiramento e enfardamento prismático de palhiço de cana-de-açúcar colhida mecanicamente, sem queima prévia, e de suas eficiências energéticas. Os ensaios de campo foram realizados em área da Cosan-Usina Costa Pinto, Município de Piracicaba, SP. A localização geográfica do centro do talhão é Latitude: 22 o 40’ 30’’ Sul, Longitude: 47 o 36’ 38’’ Oeste e Altitude de 605m. A variedade de cana-de-açúcar era a RB 82 5336, plantada em espaçamento de 1,40 m, em seu terceiro corte, com 11 meses de idade e apresentou uma produtividade média de colmos de 78,00 t.ha -1 . O canavial da área de estudo foi colhido por colhedora de cana-de-açúcar. O palhiço foi amostrado e analisado antes das operações de enleiramento e enfardamento. Foram obtidos, como resultados os índices médios de: folhas de 69,93%, frações de colmos de 21,44%, ponteiros de 2,27% e matéria estranha total de 6,36%. A produtividade média estimada apresentou uma grande variabilidade com coeficientes de variação 33,00%. Os valores médios obtidos do palhiço: de poderes caloríficos superiores de 18,43 MJ.kg -1 , inferior de 17,00 MJ.kg -1 e útil de 12,94 MJ.kg -1 . O potencial energético do palhiço determinado confirmou ser uma função varietal e apresentou valor médio de 342,48 GJ.ha -1 . Estimou-se para um hectare de palhiço o equivalente energético a 30,52 t de madeira, 15,16 t de carvão e de 11648,58 a 10104,17 L de óleo combustível. Foram realizados três tratamentos de enleiramentos: simples, duplo e triplo. A retirada de palhiço foi efetuada por meio de ancinho e de enfardadora prismática para fenação e foi viável do ponto de vista operacional e de eficiência energética, sendo que o enleiramento no tratamento de enleiramento simples apresentou os melhores resultados, com a maior capacidade efetiva média de 83,06 t.ha -1 , a menor média de consumo de combustível de 0,18 L.t -1 e eficiência energética positiva de 99,95%. Nas operações de enfardamento os fardos no tratamento de enleiramento triplo apresentaram a maior massa específica média de 221,11 kg.m -3 e as maiores médias de porcentagem de terra. As massas de terra no fardo aumentaram com enleiramentos sucessivos, e o tratamento de enleiramento triplo resultou em médias de terra nos fardo de 6,41%, contra 6,31% e 5,71% dos tratamentos de enleiramento duplo e simples, respectivamente. A operação de enfardamento do tratamento de enleiramento triplo foi a que obteve melhores resultados, apresentando as capacidades efetivas médias de 20,29 t.h -1 e 1,45 ha.h -1 e o consumo de combustível por tonelada de palhiço enfardado em 1,37 L.t -1 . A alta eficiência energética total de 99,53% indica que seja tecnicamente viável o recolhimento do palhiço. / This study was carried out aiming to evaluate some parameters of operational acting of windrowing and prismatic baling operations sugarcane trash picked mechanically without a previous burning and energy efficiency. The field tests were performed in a sugar cane trash field in Piracicaba, State of São Paulo, Brazil. The geographic location of the area is: latitude 22 o 40' 30' S, longitude 47 o 36' 38' W and altitude of 605m. The sugar-cane variety was RB 82 5336, planted in spacing of 1.40 m, in its third cut, with 11 months and it presented an average productivity of stalks of 78.00 t.ha -1 . The sugar cane field of the studied area was picked by a sugarcane harvester. Samples of the trash were analyzed before the windrowing and baling operations. From the trash analysis, before baling, the following average results were obtained: leaves indexes of 89.93%, 21,44% of stalks fractions, 2.27% of tops and 6.36% of total strange matter. The estimated productivity and index presented a great variability with coefficients of variation 33.00% and 68.00% respectively. From the sampled trash, were obtained average values of gross heat of 18.43 MJ.kg -1 , low heat of 17.00 MJ.kg -1 and useful heat of 12.94 MJ.kg -1 . The energy potential of the trash presented average value of 342.48 GJ.ha -1 confirmed to be a varietal function. It was considered for a hectare of trash the equivalent energy of 30,52 t of wood, 15,16 t of coal and from 11648,58 to 10104,17 L of fuel oil. Three different windrowing process were carried out, where the simple windrowing treatment consisted of a simple windrow formed by only one passage of the rake, the double of a windrow formed by two simple windrows and the triple by three simple windrows. The picking of sugarcane trash, by means of rake and prismatic baler was viable from the operational and of energy efficiency stand points. The windrowing in the treatment of simple windrowing presented the best results, with the effective capacity of 83.06 t.ha -1 , consumption of fuel of 0.18 L.t -1 and 99.95% of positive energy efficiency. In bales obtained in the treatment of triple windrowing presented the largest specific mass average of 221.11 kg.m -3 and the largest averages of soil percentage. The soil masses in the bales increased with successive windrowing, and the triple windrowing treatment resulted in 6.41% of soil in the bale, against 6.31% in treatments of double windrowing and 5.71% in the simple windrowing. The baling operation in the triple windrowing treatment obtained better results, presenting the effective capacities of 20.29 t.h -1 and 1.45 ha.h -1 and fuel consumption of for baled in 1.37 L.t -1 . The high total energy efficiency of 99.53% indicates that is technically viable the withdrawal of the trash.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-14T14:10:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013-06-10. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2017-03-14T14:42:45Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000879291.pdf: 3371917 bytes, checksum: 0e188d1e01c355958e9d9bc95cc96f96 (MD5) / Essa pesquisa investigou o tema de energias renováveis por meio de um método proposto com a finalidade de rastrear a viabilidade econômico-financeira em duas plantas industriais a partir de biomassa. A primeira, denominada planta industrial unidade sucroenergética (também nomeada neste trabalho como planta I), situada no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, produz não somente açúcar e álcool, mas também energias (mecânica, térmica e elétrica), sendo estas a partir do bagaço da cana-de-açúcar. Já a segunda, denominada planta industrial central térmica (também chamada neste estudo de planta II), localizada na Comunidade Autônoma de Castilla y León (uma das Comunidades Autônomas que pertence à região norte da Espanha), produz somente energia térmica, representada neste estudo por MWh de energia elétrica. Essa planta II produz energias a partir de resíduos florestais provenientes de podas de árvores (pinheiros). Ambas as plantas pertencem ao Setor de Energias Renováveis a partir da Biomassa. O método proposto de análise, denominado Proposta de Gestão Econômico-Financeira Aplicada em Energias Renováveis a partir da Biomassa, partiu dos Postulados Teóricos de Kaplan e Anderson (2008; 2007; 2004), de Kaplan e Cooper (1988), de Gitman (2004); Van Horne (1993) e de Allora et al (1995). Os resultados apresentados foram de grande relevância ao setor, como as informações geradas pelo projeto modelo-piloto-I, que atribuiu 24,81% dos custos operacionais ao produto energia elétrica e 75,19% aos produtos álcool e açúcar. A capacidade não-utilizada dessa planta apresentou-se na ordem de 7.097.752 minutos, equivalente a 24,57% do total da capacidade ... / This research investigated the topic of renewable energy through a proposed method in order to trace the economic and financial viability of two industrial plants from biomass. The first, called 'sugarcane unit industrial plant' (also named as plant I in this text), located in São Paulo State, Brazil, produces not only sugar and alcohol, but also energy (mechanical, thermal and electrical), and these types of energy are produced from sugarcane bagasse. The second, called 'industrial thermal power plant' (also named as plant II), located in Castilla y León (one of the Autonomous Communities in Northern Spain), produces only thermal energy, indicated by MWh. Plant I produces energy out of forest residues from pruning pine trees. Both plants belong to Biomass Renewable Energy. The proposed method of analysis entitled as 'Proposal of Applied Economic and Financial Management in Biomass Renewable Energy' is based on Kaplan's and Anderson's (2008, 2007, 2004), Kaplan's and Cooper's (1988), Gitman's (2004); Van Horne's (1993) and Allora's et al (1995) theoretical postulates. The ...

Orientador: Maura Seiko Tsutsui Esperancini / Banca: Maria Aparecida Mourão Brasil / Banca: João Luis Cardoso / Resumo: O presente trabalho de pesquisa tem por objetivo determinar o potencial de geração de energia a partir do aproveitamento de resíduos industriais como casca e pó de madeira em uma indústria do setor florestal, que produz painéis de madeira aglomerada, localizada no município de Botucatu, Estado de São Paulo e determinar a viabilidade econômica da aquisição de um equipamento para geração de energia térmica a partir destes resíduos. Esta alteração de processo tem como finalidade gerar economias na aquisição de insumos energéticos adquiridos no mercado e contribuir para a expansão da base de geração de energia da indústria. Os dados para a quantificação dos resíduos gerados no processo industrial, disponíveis para fornecimento de energia térmica na empresa, foram coletados junto à empresa analisada e, a partir de amostras coletadas em julho de 2002, o poder calorífico dos resíduos casca e pó de madeira foi determinado junto ao Laboratório do Departamento de Física e Biofísica do Instituto de Biociências da UNESP de Botucatu/SP. Como o aproveitamento destes resíduos demanda a alteração do sistema de troca de calor, foram descritos o sistema de troca de calor existente e a proposta de alteração deste sistema, que pode funcionar à base de diferentes proporções de resíduos industriais (casca e pó de madeira), além da necessária aquisição de cavaco de costaneira, para aumentar a eficiência do processo de combustão de resíduos. Para a determinação do potencial de geração de energia foi utilizado o conceito de poder calorífico em duas condições de uso para o novo sistema de troca de calor: a alternativa de uso 1, que utiliza as seguintes proporções de resíduos: 50% de casca e 50% de cavaco, e a alternativa de uso 2, que utiliza a seguinte proporção de energia por resíduo: 30% da casca, 30% do cavaco e 40% do pó. Para a análise econômica... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The present research had the objective to determine the potential of energy generation with use of industrial residues as bark and saudust of wood in an industry of the forest section, which produces particleboards, located in the municipal district of Botucatu, State of São Paulo and to determinate the acquisition economical viability of an equipment for generation of thermal energy starting with residues. This process alteration had as purpose to generate savings in the acquisition of acquired energy inputs in the market and to contribute to the expansion of the industry energy generation. Data for the residues quantification generated in the industrial process, available for supply of thermal energy in the company were collected in the analyzed company, starting from samples collected in July of 2002, the heat of combustion of the residues bark and saudust of wood were determined in the Laboratory of Physics and Biophysics Department of the Biochemistry Institute of UNESP, Botucatu/SP. As the use of these residues demand the alteration of change of heat system, the change of heat system and the proposal of alteration of this system were described, which can work in different proportions of industrial residues (bark and saudust of wood), besides the necessary acquisition of slab shavings, to increase residues combustion process efficiency. For generation of energy potential determination, the concept of heat of combustion was used in two use conditions for the new system of change of heat: the alternative of use 1, which uses the following residues proportions: 50% of bark and 50% of chips, and the alternative of use 2, which uses the following proportion of energy for residue: 30% of bark, 30% of chips and 40% of saudust. For the economical use analysis the following indicators of economical viability were used: the Liquid Present Value... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Da substituição da colheita manual de cana queimada pela mecanizada de cana crua, decorre grande demanda por pesquisas relacionadas aos efeitos do palhiço, residual da colheita, sobre a cana soca e sobre o ambiente de produção. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo estudar os efeitos do sistema de colheita e do manejo do palhiço residual sobre o desenvolvimento das soqueiras de cana-de-açúcar e sobre algumas propriedades físicas e químicas do solo. O experimento foi instalado em área de colheita mecanizada de cana-de-açúcar, variedade SP91- 1049, conduzido ao longo do ciclo da primeira soca, delineado em blocos completos casualizados, com quatro repetições e os seguintes quatro tratamentos: palhiço em área total (não manejado); remoção do palhiço de sobre as linhas de cana (desaleiramento); palhiço aleirado; e palhiço queimado. Uma medida mensal de temperatura do solo foi feita até o 9º mês após o corte. A biometria foi feita mensalmente até 8 meses após o corte, avaliando-se o perfilhamento da cana e o crescimento inicial da parte aérea. Próximo ao final do ciclo foram feitas análises químicas de solo e de folhas de cana, análises físicas de solo não deformado, avaliação da distribuição da umidade e do sistema radicular no perfil do solo, e análises tecnológicas de amostras de cana para avaliação da maturação. Por ocasião da colheita, pesou-se a produção. O maior efeito do palhiço sobre a cana-de-açúcar foi reduzir o perfilhamento inicial, sendo que o desaleiramento mostrou-se a forma de manejo do palhiço mais eficaz em mitigar o efeito negativo do mesmo sobre o perfilhamento inicial. O aleiramento, além de ser menos eficaz nesse sentido, induziu um perfilhamento inicial deveras heterogêneo. Quanto às propriedades químicas do solo, o palhiço não causou efeito significativo sobre os teores de MO, CTC, Al e pH; entre os nutrientes, apenas o manganês sofreu efeito significativo dos tratamentos, apresentando menor teor sob palhiço em área total do que onde o palhiço foi queimado. Quanto às propriedades físicas do solo, o palhiço favoreceu uma pequena compactação, indicada por redução da aeração do solo na capacidade de campo; além da redução da temperatura do solo, significativa só nos primeiros 6 meses após o corte. Sobre a distribuição da água no perfil do solo, avaliada no 11º mês após o corte e depois 2 semanas sem chuva, na camada de 0-20 cm a umidade foi significativamente maior sob palhiço em área total do que onde o palhiço foi queimado; e em profundidades maiores não houve diferença significativa devida aos tratamentos. Não obstante, sobre a distribuição do sistema radicular no perfil do solo, os tratamentos não produziram nenhuma diferença significativa. / Replacing the manual harvesting of burnt sugarcane for green sugarcane mechanical harvesting, follows a great demand for research about the effects of straw on sugarcane ratoon and on the production environment. This work aimed to study the effects of the harvest and of straw management on the development of the sugarcane ratoon and on some physical and chemical properties of soil. The experiment was conducted on an area of mechanical harvesting of sugarcane, variety SP91-1049, conducted during the first cycle of ratoon, the experimental design was randomized blocks with four repetitions and the following four treatments: straw in total area; straw removed from the sugarcane lines; with the straw between four lines moved to a ridge between two lines (straw tilling); and burnt straw. Measurements of soil temperature were made monthly, until the 9th month after the harvest. Biometric measurements were performed monthly until 8 months after harvesting, evaluating the sugarcane tillering and the initial growth of the tillers. Near the end of the cycle, chemical analyses of soil and of sugarcane leaves, and physical analyses of not deformed soil samples were performed; the distribution of moisture and of root system into the soil profile were evaluated; and technological analysis of sugarcane samples were made to evaluate the maturity stage of sugarcane. At the harvest, the production was weighed. The biggest effect of straw on sugarcane was reducing the initial tillering, and the removal of straw from sugarcane lines proved to be the more effective management to mitigate the negative effect of straw on the tillering. The straw tilling, less effective in this sense, also induced a very heterogeneous initial tillering. Regarding the soil chemical properties, straw did not cause significant effect on the levels of organic matter, capacity of cations exchange, Al and pH; among the nutrients, only Mn had a significant effect of the treatments, with lower content under straw in total area than where straw was burned. Regarding the physical properties of soil, straw provided a little compaction, indicated by reduction of the soil aeration at field capacity; as well as significant reducing of soil temperature only in the first 6 months after harvest. On the distribution of water in the soil profile, measured 11 months after harvest and after 2 weeks without rain, in the depth of 0 to 20 centimeters, moisture was significantly higher under straw in total area than where straw was burned, and in bigger depths there were no significant difference due to treatments. However, on the distribution of root system in the soil profile, the treatments produced no significant difference.

O setor florestal apresenta impacto na economia do Brasil, com valores significativos no PIB, em exportações e geração de empregos. O país possui cerca de 7,74 milhões de hectares de florestas plantadas, o que corresponde a apenas 0,9% do território nacional. Os plantios podem ser realizados em áreas novas ou em áreas que já possuíam eucalipto no ciclo anterior. Neste caso, os tocos remanescentes representam um problema, dificultando o tráfego homogêneo de máquinas e influindo na qualidade das operações florestais. O aproveitamento dos resíduos, por meio da retirada dos tocos remanescentes, pode contribuir para minimizar esses problemas, trazendo benefícios econômicos e energéticos. Com isso, o objetivo deste trabalho consistiu em analisar a viabilidade operacional, econômica e energética de um sistema mecanizado florestal para o aproveitamento de resíduos florestais (toco). Para tanto, um modelo, em planilha eletrônica, foi desenvolvido. Os dados referentes à capacidade de trabalho dos equipamentos envolvidos foram obtidos por meio de um estudo de tempos e movimentos das operações mecanizadas de destoca, baldeio, processamento e transporte. O modelo foi empregado para avaliação de cenários e identificar variáveis críticas. Os resultados evidenciaram que o sistema mecanizado empregado para a destoca e retirada dos resíduos, tocos e raízes, é viável operacional e economicamente e tem um desempenho energético favorável. As restrições do uso desse sistema referem-se à área mínima e a distância de transporte, e que as variações na produtividade, no preço de venda da biomassa e na capacidade de campo operacional impactam sensivelmente na viabilidade econômica do projeto. / The forest sector plays an important role in Brazil\'s economy, with significant share in the GDP, exports and job creation. Brazil has about 7.74 million ha of planted forests, accounting for only 0.9% of the national territory. Plantations may occur in new areas or in areas that already had a previous eucalypt cycle. In this case, the remaining stumps represent a problem hindering the smooth traffic of machinery and affecting forest operations. The use of waste by removing the remaining stumps can help to minimize these problems, bringing economic and energy benefits. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the operational, economic and energy viability of a mechanized-harvest forest system for the use of forest waste (stumps). To this end, a model was developed in spreadsheet. The data related to the work capacity of the equipment involved were obtained by means of a time and motion study of mechanized operations of stumps removal, carrying, processing and transportation. The model was used to evaluate scenarios and identify critical variables. The results showed that the mechanized system used for stumps removal, stumps and roots, is operationally and economically viable and has a favorable energy performance. Restrictions of using this system refers to the minimum area and distance of transport. In addition, variations in productivity, selling price of biomass and field operational capacity significantly affect the economic viability of the project.

The current energy crisis is exponentially growing and widening the chasm between demand and supply. Biofuels such as ethanol not only provide greener alternatives to fossil fuels but have been shown to reduce emissions from vehicles, improving air etc. Biofuel production from sources such as cellulose is believed to be more sustainable due to its low cost, vast availability in nature and sources such as industrial plant waste can be put to good use. However, due to the absence of a low-cost technology to overcome its recalcitrance, a concept called Consolidated Bioprocessing (CBP) has been put forward which proposes to integrate the production of saccharolytic enzymes, hydrolysis of the carbohydrate components to sugar molecules, and the fermentation of hexose and pentose sugars to biofuels into a single process. The present study involves development of cellulolytic E. coli strains towards cellodextrin assimilation by employing an energy-saving strategy in cellulose metabolism through the phosphorolytic cleavage of cellodextrin mixture produced as cellulosic degradation products.

Biofuels, including ethanol and biodiesel, are important components of energy policy in the U.S. and abroad. There is a long history of ethanol production from corn (maize) in the United States and from sugarcane in Brazil. However, there has been a push for greater use of next-generation biofuels (including those derived from cellulosic feedstocks) to mitigate many of the environmental and potential food system impacts of large scale biofuel production. Farmer willingness to grow biomass crops and ensuring adequate feedstock supply are two important challenges impeding large scale commercialization of next-generation biofuels. The costs of transporting bulky, low density biomass will be substantial. Consequently, in the near term, the economic success of next-generation biofuels will hinge on the supply of locally available biomass. As such, agricultural contracts are expected to be an important tool in overcoming the feedstock acquisition challenge. The broad objective of this study is to understand the effect of contracting for non-food energy crops (cellulosic feedstocks) on the agricultural landscape via the displacement of commodity (food) crops on productive cropland. We develop an analytical framework for evaluating the design and use of two different contract structures for securing cellulosic feedstock in a representative supply chain with a biorefinery and farmer. We study the dynamics of scarce land and indirect competition from commodity market production on a biorefinery's equilibrium pricing strategy and the resultant supply of cellulosic biomass. And we consider its sensitivity to various production characteristics and market conditions. We develop a method for quantifying the biorefinery's tradeoff between profit margins and competing for land in order to secure the requisite feedstock for biofuel production. And we characterize the loss of efficiency in the decentralized system, relative to a vertically integrated system, that can be attributed to the need to compete for the farmer's scarce land resource versus that which results from the biorefinery's desire to make a profit. Then we extend our framework to consider multi-year contracts for biomass production and evaluate the importance of land quality, yield variability and contract structure on a farmer's willingness to accept a contract to produce cellulosic feedstock as well as the resulting impact on the agricultural landscape through the displacement of commodity crops. Using switchgrass production in Tennessee as a case study, we develop feedstock supply curves for each contract structure considered and evaluate the conditions and contract prices at which land devoted to various field crops would be displaced by switchgrass based on field trials of switchgrass production in Tennessee and recent USDA data on crop prices and production.

Communities of different sizes in Saskatchewan seeking economic opportunities have shown interest in ethanol production because of the perceived benefits a region can capture from such a project. In spite of this interest and the perceived benefits, no information on the type and magnitude of economic impacts which would accrue to different sized communities existed. This study was undertaken to fill this information gap by establishing facts on the economic impacts various levels of communities could capture from ethanol-cattle production complexes. Since Saskatchewan communities operate in a hierarchical fashion and are classified into seven levels using central place theory, questions concerning economic development should be viewed in a regional hierarchical framework. A seven-region hierarchically-based interregional input-output model for the Saskatchewan economy was constructed using the Supply-Demand Pool (SDP) method in combination with the logical assumptions regarding trade patterns within the central place region. It was assumed that higher-level regions are surplus regions in goods produced by non-primary sectors, and hence ship excess supply to producers and final users in the dominated lower-level regions and outside of the province. On the other hand, it was assumed that the hinterland region dominates trade in goods in the primary sectors. The hinterland earned income by producing and supplying goods and services in the primary sectors to the higher-level regions and outside the province. The model consisted of 14 aggregated sectors seven household sectors, and allowed for net flows of labour income through commuting patterns of workers who resided in the seven regions. At the same time the consumption expenditures of residents in a particular region were adjusted for outshopping purchases. The estimated model was used to assess the economic impacts from both the construction and operation phase of an integrated ethanol-cattle production complex across six hierarchical regions. The major findings of this study were that, under both phases of the project, intraregional output and labor income impacts occurring in the high level regions were larger than those in the lower-level regions. Also, the higher-level regions experienced larger interregional impacts and had spillover coefficients of smaller magnitude compared to lower-level regions. The intraregional output and labor income impacts tended to decrease as one moves down the hierarchy from top to bottom regions. On the other hand, the spillovers or leakages were increasing as one moves down the hierarchy from higher-level regions to lower-level regions. The higher-level regions have more diversified economies and smaller leakages of income and spending than lower-level regions. On the other hand, lower-level regions experienced large income leakages through input purchases and consumer spending in neighbouring higher-level regions. The results indicate that lower-level regions will not benefit more than higher-level regions from the development of an integrated ethanol-cattle production complex. Thus, if the goal of public funding of ethanol projects is to maximize impacts in the project-region, then higher-level regions would be preferred to lower-level regions. This raises a concern that the opportunity of pursuing regional development through ethanol processing may not reach all those communities who need it the most, especially the smaller communities. On the other hand, if the objective of rural development is to solve the problems of rural communities, the policy-makers, could target lower-level regions specially those experiencing economic decline. It is important to mention that integrated ethanol-cattle production continues to enjoy subsidies from the governments. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The significance of hydrogen production is increasing as fossil fuels are being depleted and energy security is of increasing importance to the United States. Furthermore, its production offers the potential to alleviate concerns regarding global warming and air pollution. In this thesis we focused on examining the efficiency of hydrogen production from current biomass compared to that from fossil fuel coal. We explored the efficiencies of maximum hydrogen production from biomass and from coal under current technology, namely coal gasification and biomass pyrolysis, together with following-up technologies such as steam reforming (SR). Bio-oil, product from pyrolysis and precursor for steam reforming, is hard to define. We proposed a simulation tool to estimate the pyrolytic bio-oil composition from various biomasses. The results helped us understand the accuracy that is needed for bio-oil composition prediction in the case it is converted to hydrogen. Hydrogen production is energy intensive. Therefore, heat integration is necessary to raise the overall thermodynamic efficiencies for both coal gasification and biomass pyrolysis. The results showed that considering the ultimate energy source, sunlight, about 6-fold more sunlight would be required for the coal to hydrogen than that for biomass to hydrogen. The main difference is in the efficiency of conversion of the ancient biomass to coal and therefore, for modern mankind, this loss has already been incurred.