Simulation-Based Assessment of the Properties and Performance of a Biomass Terminal

The profitability of a biomass terminal can be analysed as an individual cost pool in biomass logistics by static calculations, but they can be also complemented by simulation studies. The dynamic simulation approach accounts for temporal factors, whose impacts on the sizing and resource needs of the terminal can be substantial. They can also have economic reflections on the supply system outside the terminal. This paper presents a simulation model and an experiment simulating operations in a large feed-in terminal with different solutions of biomass deliveries. The results indicate that, in typical Nordic circumstances, biomass terminals based on stemwood processing have relatively high storage size and resource need in the winter and underutilization of terminal space in the remaining seasons. Adjustment of the optimal number of resources for each period of the operational year guarantees the fluency of operations at the terminal without significant delays for inbound and outbound truck deliveries.