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

Omtec Inc.是一家安大略省本地公司，致力于不断改进和创新，生产高质量的生物基产品。他们目前的生物产品组合包括生物填料、燃料压块和一个温室系统，该系统使用生产的燃料压块同时提供热量和电力。可再生填料和燃料都是由麦秸制成的，麦秸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公司密切合作，使其产品组合多样化，并探索以麦秸为原料的新能源、化学和材料产品途径。这项工作不仅将帮助加拿大农民增加收入来源，还将加速鼓励化石资源替代能源的全球趋势

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.