Multi-Objective Optimizer for Multimodal Distribution Networks

Author(s):  
Mauro Gamberi ◽  
Marco Bortolini ◽  
Francesco Pilati ◽  
Alberto Regattieri

A multi-objective optimizer Decision Support System (DSS) to minimize the operating cost, the carbon footprint and the delivery time in the design of multi-modal Distribution Networks (DNs) is presented to overcome the widely adopted methodologies focused on the cost minimization, only. The proposed approach simultaneously assesses three independent objective functions, evaluating the network costs, the Carbon Footprint (CO2 emissions) and the shipping time from the producers to the final retailers. The DSS manages multimodal four-level (three-stage) DNs, best connecting the producers to the final retailers, through a set of Distribution Centres (DCs). It allows multiple transport modes and inter-modality options looking to the most effective DN configuration from the introduced multi-objective perspective. The three optimization criteria can be considered independently or solved simultaneously, through the so-called Pareto frontier approach. Finally, the proposed DSS is validated against a case study about the delivery of Italian fresh food to several European retailers.

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (9) ◽  
pp. 2405
Author(s):  
Samar Fatima ◽  
Verner Püvi ◽  
Ammar Arshad ◽  
Mahdi Pourakbari-Kasmaei ◽  
Matti Lehtonen

Power distribution networks are transitioning from passive towards active networks considering the incorporation of distributed generation. Traditional energy networks require possible system upgrades due to the exponential growth of non-conventional energy resources. Thus, the cost concerns of the electric utilities regarding financial models of renewable energy sources (RES) call for the cost and benefit analysis of the networks prone to unprecedented RES integration. This paper provides an evaluation of photovoltaic (PV) hosting capacity (HC) subject to economical constraint by a probabilistic analysis based on Monte Carlo (MC) simulations to consider the stochastic nature of loads. The losses carry significance in terms of cost parameters, and this article focuses on HC investigation in terms of losses and their associated cost. The network losses followed a U-shaped trajectory with increasing PV penetration in the distribution network. In the investigated case networks, increased PV penetration reduced network costs up to around 40%, defined as a ratio to the feeding secondary transformer rating. Above 40%, the losses started to increase again and at 76–87% level, the network costs were the same as in the base cases of no PVs. This point was defined as the economical PV HC of the network. In the case of networks, this level of PV penetration did not yet lead to violations of network technical limits.


2020 ◽  
Vol 165 ◽  
pp. 06024
Author(s):  
Xuan Wang ◽  
Yun Jing

With the advancement of country’s “the Belt and Road” strategy, each port is actively formulating development strategies to help implement the strategy. The port inland collection and distribution network is an important guarantee for the development of the port, and it is a key component to promote the connection between the port and the inland hinterland. It has an important role in expanding the scale of the port and improving the overall competitiveness of the port. Aiming at the current imbalance of the collection and distribution methods and the imperfect collection and distribution networks in most ports, this paper establishes an optimal model of collection and distribution network costs and quantitatively optimizes the collection and distribution network corridors. The Tianjin Port is selected as a case study object. And the MATLAB software is used to solve the analysis. The conclusion is that Tianjin Port could alleviate the pressure of the collection and distribution network by increasing the density of container trains with the hinterland cities, which verified the validity of the model.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-49
Author(s):  
Anukram Sharma ◽  
Khem N Poudyal ◽  
Nawraj Bhattarai

Study of carbon footprint is an emerging field which provides statistical analysis about the contribution of an activity on global climate change. Every human activity in daily life is achieved at the expense of those substances which directly or indirectly contribute to global warming. In this era of global communication, humans are habitual to know about the ongoing changes in the world. Newspapers are one of the reliable sources for getting updated about the global information. Paper-based newspapers come at the cost of greenhouse gas emissions. So, this article based upon an analysis of carbon footprint of Nepal’s national daily newspaper provides evaluation of each of the following: carbon emission during the manufacturing of raw materials, carbon emission from fuel consumption during transportation of raw materials, carbon emissions during the printing of newspaper and carbon emission from the fuel consumption during the transportation of printed newspaper. During the study period of 2019 A.D., the result shows that the total carbon emission of Gorkhapatra newspaper was found to be 2308.5 kg CO2e per ton. The upshot of this study provides not only thorough information about carbon emissions but also builds a foundation for calculation of carbon emissions from paper used in various sectors.


Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 3078
Author(s):  
Francesco Simmini ◽  
Marco Agostini ◽  
Massimiliano Coppo ◽  
Tommaso Caldognetto ◽  
Andrea Cervi ◽  
...  

The diffusion of distributed energy resources in distribution networks requires new approaches to exploit the users’ capabilities of providing ancillary services. Of particular interest will be the coordination of microgrids operating as an aggregate of demand and supply units. This work reports a model predictive control (MPC) application in microgrids for the efficient energy management of energy storage systems and photovoltaic units. The MPC minimizes the economic cost of aggregate prosumers into a prediction horizon by forecasting generation and absorption profiles. The MPC is compared in realistic conditions with a heuristic strategy that acts in a instant manner, without taking into account signals prediction. The work aims at investigating the effect that different types of energy tariffs have in enhancing the end-users’ flexibility, based on three examples of currently applied tariffs, comparing the two storage control modes. The MPC always achieves a better solution than the heuristic approach in all considered scenarios from the cost minimization point of view, with an improvement that is amplified by increasing the energy price variations between peak and off-peak periods. Furthermore, the MPC approach provides a cost saving when compared to the case considering a microgrid endowed with only photovoltaic units, in which no storage is installed. Findings in this work confirm that storage units better perform when some knowledge of future demand and supply trends is provided, ensuring an economic cost saving and an important service for the overall community.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Diehlmann ◽  
Patrick Siegfried Hiemsch ◽  
Marcus Wiens ◽  
Markus Lüttenberg ◽  
Frank Schultmann

Purpose In this contribution, the purpose of this study is to extend the established social cost concept of humanitarian logistics into a preference-based bi-objective approach. The novel concept offers an efficient, robust and transparent way to consider the decision-maker’s preference. In principle, the proposed method applies to any multi-objective decision and is especially suitable for decisions with conflicting objectives and asymmetric impact. Design/methodology/approach The authors bypass the shortcomings of the traditional approach by introducing a normalized weighted sum approach. Within this approach, logistics and deprivation costs are normalized with the help of Nadir and Utopia points. The weighting factor represents the preference of a decision-maker toward emphasizing the reduction of one cost component. The authors apply the approach to a case study for hypothetical water contamination in the city of Berlin, in which authorities select distribution center (DiC) locations to supply water to beneficiaries. Findings The results of the case study highlight that the decisions generated by the approach are more consistent with the decision-makers preferences while enabling higher efficiency gains. Furthermore, it is possible to identify robust solutions, i.e. DiCs opened in each scenario. These locations can be the focal point of interest during disaster preparedness. Moreover, the introduced approach increases the transparency of the decision by highlighting the cost-deprivation trade-off, together with the Pareto-front. Practical implications For practical users, such as disaster control and civil protection authorities, this approach provides a transparent focus on the trade-off of their decision objectives. The case study highlights that it proves to be a powerful concept for multi-objective decisions in the domain of humanitarian logistics and for collaborative decision-making. Originality/value To the best of the knowledge, the present study is the first to include preferences in the cost-deprivation trade-off. Moreover, it highlights the promising option to use a weighted-sum approach to understand the decisions affected by this trade-off better and thereby, increase the transparency and quality of decision-making in disasters.


Author(s):  
Prateek Mittal ◽  
Kishalay Mitra

A multi-objective optimization case study of maximization and minimization of energy generation and noise propagation is considered here. A novel hybrid methodology, as a combination of probabilistic variable decomposed multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (VdRBNSGA-II) and the newly developed deterministic gradient based Pareto frontier construction approach (nD-NNC), has been proposed to determine the optimum layout of turbines (numbers and locations) inside a wind farm. In contrast to previous case studies, the proposed approach is able to yield the alternative energy-noise solutions along with the additional information on corresponding turbine layouts (numbers and locations) on a single Pareto front. As a result, it provides a decision maker with an ample of choices to choose from different competing solutions based on the existing standards and guidelines.


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