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GIS and Spatial Analysis in the Utilization of Residual Biomass for Biofuel Production

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  • Sotiris Lycourghiotis

    (School of Science and Technology, Hellenic Open University, 18 Par. Aristotelous Str., 26335 Patras, Greece)

Abstract

The main goal of this study is to investigate the possibility of using residual materials (biomass derived from used cooking oils and lignocellulosic biomass from plant waste) on a large scale for producing renewable fuels and, in particular, the best way to collect them. The methodology of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) as well as spatial analysis (SA) techniques were used to investigate the Greek case for this. The data recorded in the geographic database were quantities of waste cooking and household oils as well as quantities of lignocellulosic biomass. The most common global and local indices of spatial autocorrelation were used. Concerning the biomass derived from used cooking oils, it was found that their quantities were important (163.17 million L/year), and these can be used to produce green diesel in the context of the circular economy. Although the dispersion of the used cooking oils was wide, there is no doubt that their concentration in large cities and tourist areas is higher. This finding suggests a collection process that could be carried out mainly in these areas through the development of small autonomous collection units in each neighborhood and central processing plants in small regional units. The investigation of the geographical–spatial distribution of residual lignocellulosic biomass showed the geographical fragmentation and heterogeneity of the distributions. The quantities recorded were significant (4.5 million tons/year) but widely dispersed, such that the cost of collecting and transporting the biomass to central processing plants could be prohibitive. The “geography” of the problem itself suggests solutions of small mobile collection units in every part of the country. The lignocellulosic biomass would be collected and converted in situ into bio-oil by rapid pyrolysis carried out in a tanker vehicle. This would transport the produced bio-oil to the nearest oil refineries for the conversion of bio-oil into biofuels through deoxygenation processes.

Suggested Citation

  • Sotiris Lycourghiotis, 2025. "GIS and Spatial Analysis in the Utilization of Residual Biomass for Biofuel Production," J, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-12, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jjopen:v:8:y:2025:i:2:p:17-:d:1657289
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lycourghiotis, Sotiris & Kordouli, Eleana & Kordulis, Christos & Bourikas, Kyriakos, 2021. "Transformation of residual fatty raw materials into third generation green diesel over a nickel catalyst supported on mineral palygorskite," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 773-786.
    2. Mondal, Arijit & Giri, Binoy Krishna & Roy, Sankar Kumar, 2023. "An integrated sustainable bio-fuel and bio-energy supply chain: A novel approach based on DEMATEL and fuzzy-random robust flexible programming with Me measure," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 343(C).
    3. Mohammad Kanan & Muhammad Salman Habib & Anam Shahbaz & Amjad Hussain & Tufail Habib & Hamid Raza & Zaher Abusaq & Ramiz Assaf, 2022. "A Grey-Fuzzy Programming Approach towards Socio-Economic Optimization of Second-Generation Biodiesel Supply Chains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-28, August.
    4. Mohammad Kanan & Muhammad Salman Habib & Tufail Habib & Sadaf Zahoor & Anas Gulzar & Hamid Raza & Zaher Abusaq, 2022. "A Flexible Robust Possibilistic Programming Approach for Sustainable Second-Generation Biogas Supply Chain Design under Multiple Uncertainties," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-32, September.
    5. Ghelichi, Zabih & Saidi-Mehrabad, Mohammad & Pishvaee, Mir Saman, 2018. "A stochastic programming approach toward optimal design and planning of an integrated green biodiesel supply chain network under uncertainty: A case study," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 661-687.
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