Large scale multi-criteria optimization of forestry biomass supply networks

For the replacement of fossil fuel forestry biomass should help mitigating Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. However the supply of energy wood is challenging because of high supply costs and rapidly increasing demand. Considering the typical, heterogeneous structure of landownership, contractors and energy producers in Mid-Europe, supply network optimization becomes of major importance. Mathematical supply network optimization often only implies minimizing costs and maximizing profit, respectively. Although the use of forestry biomass affects the GHG balance in a positive way, the supply chain processes cause GHG emissions, which have to be minimized. So there could be a trade-off between maximizing the profit and minimizing GHG emissions within biomass supply networks.