Modeling of optimal biomass supply chain for the productions of energy, chemicals and materials in Southwestern Ontario

欧姆泰克公司是安大略省的一家当地公司，在生产高质量的生物产品方面寻求持续的改进和创新。他们目前的生物产品组合包括生物填充剂、燃料型煤和一个温室系统，该系统使用生产的燃料型煤同时提供热量和电力。可再生的填充物和燃料都是由麦秆制成的，麦秆是一种废弃的农业生物质资源。根据拟议的项目，滑铁卢大学的过程工程研究人员将与Omtec Inc.密切合作，使其产品组合多样化，并探索以小麦秸秆为原料的新能源、化学和材料产品途径。这一承诺不仅将帮助加拿大农民增加收入来源，还将加速全球趋势，鼓励用化石资源取代 能源、化学品和材料生产。 拟议的项目将涉及生物质供应链的建模和优化。一个全面的数学规划模型将在通用代数建模系统(GAMS)中开发和实施。还将准备一个用户友好的界面，以帮助Omtec Inc.评估其当前制造工艺的潜在经济和环境结果。这将使欧姆泰克能够在新的生产战略上进行系统的财务投资，同时将公司的财务风险降至最低。在更广泛的范围内，这一努力将为加拿大农业以及不断增长的生物质产品制造业打开新的商业机会。

Omtec Inc. is a local Ontario company that seeks continuous improvements and innovations in producing high quality bio-based products. Their current bio-product portfolio includes bio-filler, fuel briquettes and a greenhouse system that uses the produced fuel briquettes to supply heat and electricity at the same time. Both the renewable fillers and fuels are made from wheat straw, an abandoned agricultural biomass resource. Under the proposed project, process engineering researchers at the University of Waterloo will work closely with Omtec Inc. to diversify its product portfolio and explore new energy, chemical and material product pathways based on wheat straw as a feedstock. This undertaking will not only help Canadian farmers increase their revenue streams, it will also accelerate global trends that encourage the substitution of fossil resources for energy, chemicals and materials production. The proposed project will involve modeling and optimization of the biomass supply chain. A comprehensive mathematical programming model will be developed and implemented in the General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS). A user friendly interface will also be prepared to help Omtec Inc. to assess potential economic and environmental outcomes from their current manufacturing process. This will allow Omtec to make systematic financial investments in new production strategies while minimizing the company's financial risk. On a broader scale, this effort will open up new commercial opportunities for the Canadian farming industry, as well as the growing biomass-based product manufacturing sector.