This study evaluates the efficiency of energy generation from willow chips and analyses the potential to reduce GHG emissions depending on the biomass transport distance to a conversion facility. The potential amount of electrical energy ranged from 59.2 GJ·ha^-1 to 136.8 GJ·ha^-1 when produced using combustion and co-combustion, respectively. The total energy in CHP generation ranged from 295.9 GJ·ha^-1 to 321.8 GJ·ha^-1 for gasification and co-combustion, respectively. It should be stressed that the largest amount of energy was produced using combustion in a heat-only boiler station.
Total GHG emissions from willow chips production and transport of 25 km was 73.0 kgCO₂ eq.·Mg^-1 d.m. Increasing the transport distance to 50, 100, and 200 km resulted in the growth of GHG emissions by 6%, 17%, and 39%, respectively. The highest potential for reducing GHG emissions (62.5 MgCO₂ eq.·ha^-1) was achieved in a heat-only boiler station with the shortest transport distance. The index was 3-11% lower when energy was generated in CHP systems. The lowest potential for the reduction of GHG emissions was achieved in biomass conversion to electrical energy in the combustion process.