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Products derived from crude oil form the basis for large segments of energy and production systems. However, the availability of crude oil is limited and the combustion of fossil fuels contributes to global warming. Biorefineries can produce a product portfolio similar to that of crude-oil refineries from renewable resources and thus promote transformation towards a more sustainable bioeconomy. The actual product portfolio of a given biorefinery, however, depends on the choice and capacity of the production units used to upgrade raw materials to marketable products. Thus, to improve biorefinery product competitiveness, we apply an algorithm that combines an exact optimization algorithm nested in an Evolutionary Strategy with Geographic Information Systems to determine a wood-based bio-refinery's optimal configuration, capacity, and location within the Cariboo District in Canada. The results indicate that there are numerous locations with similarly attractive economic potentials for biorefineries with 450,000 to 550,000 tons of biomass input capacity in the investigated area. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.