title: Atmospheric Emissions from Forest Biomass Residues to Energy Supply Chain: A Case Study in Portugal.
abstract: During the past decades, pressures on global environment and energy security have led to an increasing demand on renewable energy sources and diversification of the world's energy supply. The Portuguese energy strategy considers the use of Forest Biomass Residues (FBR) to energy as being essential to accomplish the goals established in the National Energy Strategy for 2020. However, despite the advantages pointing to FBR to the energy supply chain, few studies have evaluated the potential impacts on air quality. In this context, a case study was selected to estimate the atmospheric emissions of the FBR to the energy supply chain in Portugal. Results revealed that production, harvesting, and energy conversion processes are the main culprits for the biomass energy supply chain emissions (with a contribution higher than 90%), while the transport processes have a minor importance for all the pollutants. Compared with the coal-fired plants, the FBR combustion produces lower greenhouses emissions, on a mass basis of fuel consumed; the same is true for NOXand SO2emissions.
authors.affiliation: CESAM, Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro , Aveiro, Portugal .
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rafael
authors.affiliation: CESAM, Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro , Aveiro, Portugal .
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tarelho
authors.affiliation: CESAM, Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro , Aveiro, Portugal .
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: CESAM, Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro , Aveiro, Portugal .
authors.forename: Tânia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: CESAM, Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro , Aveiro, Portugal .
authors.forename: Catarina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.affiliation: CESAM, Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro , Aveiro, Portugal .
authors.forename: Sylvio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.affiliation: CESAM, Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro , Aveiro, Portugal .
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lopes
keywords: atmospheric emissions; exploration processes; forest biomass residues