Improving Sustainability of Energy Conversion from Biomass Resources: the case of Bari Airport CHP (Combined Heat and Power) Fuelled with Bioenergy from Short Chain

Harnessing biomass-derived energy can improve environmental and economic sustainability of a Combined Heat and Power production. The paper presents a new decision making policy and its application in meeting the energy needs of the Bari airport (300 kWe), based on an economic-environmental analysis related to the use of different bioenergies from short chain (<70 km).  The main aim of this paper is to demonstrate how a "Zero Kilometer Energy" design in a CHP plant represents a more sustainable alternative to the same commercial energy systems, regarding to the impact on local socio-economic system of the territory. The study has been carried out in order to promote a synergetic and sustainable relationship between a territory and the infrastructures that service it, in terms of energy supply chain. For this purpose, three different bioenergy production systems (biomass from wood waste, vegetable oil and biogas from food waste), from local agro-energy resources in Apulian region (Italy) were analysed. The analysis has been integrated by a PPA (Payback Period Analysis) to identify priority for an informed choice. Finally the theoretical paybacks under different government incentive schemes, from 2005 to 2014, have been calculated along with estimated carbon savings to highlight the energy market trends for the different biomass resources.