58
T. Bratec et al.
4 Conclusion
This paper describes how the consideration of socio-economic and environmental
aspects of a territory could influence a choice of the location of a new biorefinery
facility. Three potential sites in the Grand-Est region in France are considered in our
case study in order to find out which of them is the most appropriate for the biorefinery
installation in terms of socio-economic and environmental performances.
Socio-economic aspects are the main factors of the territorial embeddedness of
the new biorefinery. They rely on a combination of static and dynamic impacts that
take place throughout the biorefinery value chain. From an economic standpoint the
value-added by the process is important, but also the biorefinery’s whole contribution
to the local economy: agricultural employment, local contractors’ markets, and the
overall contribution to enhancement of local skills. Regarding the agricultural sector,
the biorefinery’s contribution may be very large, but depends on collaboration with
this sector and whether it takes place over a long or short time period. From this
point of view, site 1, where the new biorefinery will be established in an existing
partnership between biochemistry and agricultural sectors, will be the case study
with the most intense territorial embeddedness.
The first phase of environmental evaluation, based on the natural context of the
studied territories, shows that it is really important to consider such characteristics
in order to identify the currently existing environmental problems. Past or present
activity could have caused serious environmental degradation that would make it
impossible to envisage any future projects. According to the preliminary results
obtained from our analysis, there seems to be less environmental impact on the
natural space availability and the water quality at site 1 than sites 2 and 3. This is
due to the fact that for site 1 the integration of the defined chemical process into
the existing industrial infrastructure is envisaged, while for sites 2–3 construction of
a new biorefinery facility would be necessary. The analysis of the actual situation
on soil pollution suggests that site 2 would have less environmental impact during
the operating stage. According to the geological context of site 3, the possibility of
constructing a new facility here seems to be rather low. However, we must insist on
the fact that our preliminary analyses have numerous limits and more detailed study
on the environmental impacts of the planned activity is necessary.
References
Ahlgren S, Björklund A, Ekman A, Karlsson H, Berlin J, Börjesson P, Ekvall T, Finnveden G,
Janssen M, Strid I (2015) Review of methodological choices in LCA of biorefinery systems-key
issues and recommendations. Biofuels, Bioprod Biorefin 9(5):606–619. https://doi.org/10.1002/
bbb.1563
Bioeconomy in European Regions (2017) Biobased Industries Consortium, p 68. https://
biconsortium.eu/sites/biconsortium.eu/files/publications/BIC_GA_Brochure_Bioeconomy_
regions_in_Europe_Nov_2017.pdf. Last accessed 12 Sept 2018
T. Bratec et al.
4 Conclusion
This paper describes how the consideration of socio-economic and environmental
aspects of a territory could influence a choice of the location of a new biorefinery
facility. Three potential sites in the Grand-Est region in France are considered in our
case study in order to find out which of them is the most appropriate for the biorefinery
installation in terms of socio-economic and environmental performances.
Socio-economic aspects are the main factors of the territorial embeddedness of
the new biorefinery. They rely on a combination of static and dynamic impacts that
take place throughout the biorefinery value chain. From an economic standpoint the
value-added by the process is important, but also the biorefinery’s whole contribution
to the local economy: agricultural employment, local contractors’ markets, and the
overall contribution to enhancement of local skills. Regarding the agricultural sector,
the biorefinery’s contribution may be very large, but depends on collaboration with
this sector and whether it takes place over a long or short time period. From this
point of view, site 1, where the new biorefinery will be established in an existing
partnership between biochemistry and agricultural sectors, will be the case study
with the most intense territorial embeddedness.
The first phase of environmental evaluation, based on the natural context of the
studied territories, shows that it is really important to consider such characteristics
in order to identify the currently existing environmental problems. Past or present
activity could have caused serious environmental degradation that would make it
impossible to envisage any future projects. According to the preliminary results
obtained from our analysis, there seems to be less environmental impact on the
natural space availability and the water quality at site 1 than sites 2 and 3. This is
due to the fact that for site 1 the integration of the defined chemical process into
the existing industrial infrastructure is envisaged, while for sites 2–3 construction of
a new biorefinery facility would be necessary. The analysis of the actual situation
on soil pollution suggests that site 2 would have less environmental impact during
the operating stage. According to the geological context of site 3, the possibility of
constructing a new facility here seems to be rather low. However, we must insist on
the fact that our preliminary analyses have numerous limits and more detailed study
on the environmental impacts of the planned activity is necessary.
References
Ahlgren S, Björklund A, Ekman A, Karlsson H, Berlin J, Börjesson P, Ekvall T, Finnveden G,
Janssen M, Strid I (2015) Review of methodological choices in LCA of biorefinery systems-key
issues and recommendations. Biofuels, Bioprod Biorefin 9(5):606–619. https://doi.org/10.1002/
bbb.1563
Bioeconomy in European Regions (2017) Biobased Industries Consortium, p 68. https://
biconsortium.eu/sites/biconsortium.eu/files/publications/BIC_GA_Brochure_Bioeconomy_
regions_in_Europe_Nov_2017.pdf. Last accessed 12 Sept 2018