Biomass Feedstock and Climate Change in Agroforestry Systems: Participatory Location and Integration Scenario Analysis of Biomass Power Facilities

Producing energy with biomass feedstocks as a renewable energy source can contribute to the mitigation of climate change through direct CO 2 sequestration and higher CO 2 -emitting fuel replacement. Here, the correct location of a biomass power facility can be considered as a critical position due to their geographical and spatial characteristic. This research presents a novel approach involving a geographic information system (GIS) location and its integration scenario analysis with the consideration of biomass feedstocks and climate change in agroforestry systems, the agro-silvo-pastoral system (ASPS), of a Spanish case study. A combined participatory operative approach, that is, fuzzy-decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (F-DEMATEL) with simple additive weighting (SAW) and sensitivity analysis in various disciplines and criteria, is applied by professionals. In particular, an analysis of five biomass power facilities in the area assessed by the methodology found that only one facility (BPF4) is located in the suitable area. Among five integration scenarios (A to E) as the likelihood test by the stakeholders, scenario E (suitability layer) was most supported—that is, it was selected as the most suitability map—while scenario D (general geophysical layer) was least supported, in that the results encapsulated foreseeable problems derived from the effects. Hence, the validation of the methodology proposed can be employed as a decision-making tool to support proper sustainable planning and development of a biomass power facility under the impact of climate change.

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