Biomass gasification – based hydrogen production supply chain analysis under demand variability

In this paper, a discrete event model is developed in order to address biomass gasification based hydrogen production supply chain analysis under demand variability, with Arena software. Hydrogen production supply chain system is evaluated in terms of: hydrogen amount sold and hydrogen amount stored (MW-h), hydrogen lost sales amount (MW-h), partial sales per cent and gasification plant profit (MM Euros). Hydrogen production supply chain assessment under demand variability provide a “what if” analysis and help foresee how hydrogen demand variability, hydrogen delivery distance variation and hydrogen production cost variation would affect the entire biomass gasification based hydrogen production supply chain, especially the gasification plant, during one year time frame (8000 working hours). In order to reduce the wood chips quality degradation and dry matter losses risks over the storage period and to meet the gasification reactor requirements in terms of raw material properties a stock optimization is performed in Arena OptQuest resulting in a decrease of wood chips stock at the gasification plant and at the biomass warehouse. Hydrogen demand variation result is a decrease of gasification plant profit. Also, hydrogen delivery distance influence on gasification plant profit is more pronounced when hydrogen demand variation is higher.