Two scenarios have been examined and compared in this study. These scenarios are:

— Scenario 1 (Fig. 8.1): The cacao shells are combusted in a bioenergy plant in the Netherlands. The ash produced is transported to a sea port in the Netherlands. From this port the ash is shipped to Cote d’Ivoire. The ash is transported by truck to a cacao plantation. The ash is used as fertilizer. The ash contains no nitrogen and not enough phosphorous and potassium. Therefore, extra NPK-containing fertilizer is used to fulfill the nutrient demand. This NPK fertilizer is produced in Cote d’Ivoire.

— Scenario 2 (Fig. 8.2): The cacao shells are combusted in a bioenergy plant in the Netherlands. The ash produced is transported to a mine in Germany as filling material. The fertilization of the cacao plantation is performed by means of an artificial fertilizer (NPK). The fertilizer is produced in Cote d’Ivoire.

The system has to be bounded for the analysis. The boundaries determine the scope of the study. There are four subsystems in this study of importance:

1. The cacao plantation subsystem

2. The cacao shell combustion subsystem

3. The cacao shell ash subsystem

4. The fertilizer production subsystem