Bioenergy competency centre: study of the bioenergy potencial in the centre region of Portugal.

Dissertação apresentada como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ciência e Sistemas de Informação Geográfica

The use of renewable energy is one of the most effective ways to achieve a sustainability much needed for the future of our planet. The continuous consumption of fossil fuels is rapidly depleting resources that are essential for Man's survival. The bioenergy potential for the centre region of Portugal is an important piece of information to attain, once this knowledge is very limited. To calculate this potential, several types of waste data was collected and treated. One of the advantages in allying Geographic Information Systems with multicriteria decision analysis, is the possibility to integrate alphanumerical and geographical data, turning these into perceptible information in the decision making process. General results show that forest residues are the major contributors for the bioenergy potential in the Centre Region of Portugal, where the majority of this potential is located in the inland area of the study area. However, further analysis should be done as to verify if the use of energy crops are a viable possibility in this area. The ideal location for the implementation of the Bioenergy Competency Centre is also determined. Results show that the most suitable areas for its implementation areas in the inland section of the study region.