B-SAT is an excel tool developed for stakeholders involved in the use of all kinds of biomass for production and consumption of electricity and heat. The development of this tool was the main aim of a joint PhD project by VITO (The Flemish Institute for Technological Research) in cooperation with the University of Antwerp and the University of Leuven. The tool offers the possibility to carry out comprehensive sustainability assessments of various bioenergy systems in a practical and efficient way addressing all three dimensions (i.e. environmental, social and economic) of sustainability.
The tool is compatible with the European Renewable Energy Directive which means that it could serve as an indication for a particular bioenergy system to be considered for the renewable energy targets. Though calculations in this tool follow the rules laid down in the RED and the COM(2010)11, it must be stressed that this tool is not officially acknowledged to perform the RED calculations. Results must thus be seen as indicative.
The considered impact categories are the global warming potential (GWP), biodiversity and effect on high carbon stocks (above and below ground), the energy balance of the process, acidification and eutrophication potential (environmental quality) and social impacts. The social impact is divided into two parts: (1) the risk of violation of human and property rights, and (2) the working conditions, including health and safety at work, fair wages, legal contracts and workers rights.
This online tool is a limited version, including a limited number of simple feedstock pathways and conversion technologies as examples of the possibilities with the tool. A selected number of input sheets are protected due to the complexity of the issue and thus only default values can be used for these selected items, i.e. land use change, biodiversity and carbon stock. To evaluate more complex bioenergy production systems or possibilities of the full B-SAT tool, please contact Nathalie.Devriendt@vito.be.