Search Results (14)

Developing nations like Bangladesh have yet to adopt hybrid (HEVs) or electric vehicles (EVs) for goods carrying, whereas environmental pollution and fuel costs are hitting hard. The electrically powered cars and trucks market promises an excellent opportunity for environmentally friendly transportation. However, these countries’ inadequate infrastructure, substantial initial expenses, and insufficient policies impeding widespread acceptance hold market growth back. This study examines the current status of the electric car market in low- and middle-income developing nations like Bangladesh, focusing on the infrastructure and regulatory framework-related barriers and the aspects of growth promotion. To promote an expanding hybrid and EV ecosystem, this article outlines recent studies and identifies critical regions where support for policy and infrastructural developments is needed. It discusses how developing nations may adapt successful international practices to suit their specific needs. At the same time, the research adopted system dynamics and case study methods to assess the transportation fleet (142 vehicles) of a livestock farm and find the feasibility of adopting HEVs and EVs. Several instances are improving infrastructures for recharging, providing incentives for lowering the adoption process cost, and creating appropriate regulatory structures that promote corporate and consumer involvement. Findings highlight how crucial it is for governments, businesses, customers, and international bodies to collaborate to build an affordable and sustainable EV network. The investigation concludes with recommendations for more research and appropriate regulations that may accelerate the adoption of EVs, reduce their adverse impacts on the environment, and promote economic growth. Full article

By applying the “safety atmosphere” measurement theory to Chinese management companies engaged in road transportation, a corporate and individual safety risk assessment system was established that is consistent with the management and cultural climate in China, thereby reducing the driving safety risk of truck drivers. The system realizes the safety risk assessment of enterprises, fleets and individuals in the form of test scales by constructing a structural model of the enterprise safety atmosphere, including the management, communication, and supervision of enterprises, fleets, and individuals. The safety climate was modeled using a two-level framework, at the organizational level and fleet level, and three dimensions of test items for each level were obtained by exploratory factor analysis. The three dimensions of safety management, safety supervision, and safety priority at the organizational level, and the three dimensions of positive communication, safety awareness, and self-discipline at the fleet level, respectively, passed a valid factorial test (p < 0.01). Finally, the validity of the system evaluation results was verified by relying on the actual in-vehicle monitoring data and accident records of the corporate transportation fleet. The results show that the total test scores at the organizational level and the fleet level are significantly correlated with their driving risk behaviors, and both are linearly and negatively correlated with the number of accidents per thousand kilometers. This indicates a high degree of consistency between the system’s test results and actual risky accidents. Full article

Light commercial vehicles that operate in last-mile deliveries are significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. For this reason, carbon footprint mitigation actions have become a key issue for companies involved in urban freight transport to put the organization in line with the future EU legislative framework. In this sense, the electrification of the delivery fleets is one of the actions carried out to improve the sustainability of transport operations. To this end, fleet managers have to explore several fleet renewal strategies over a finite planning horizon, evaluating different types of electric powertrains for light commercial vehicles. To address this concern, this paper presents a purpose-built analysis to assist and boost the fleet managers’ decisions when transitioning to electrified vans, intending to maximize cost savings and reduce corporate greenhouse gas emissions inventory. The model developed for this research work is a Multi-Objective Linear Programming analysis for the optimization of the total cost of ownership and the organizational transport-related emissions reported from all scope categories according to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol standards. This analysis is applied to three types of electric vans (battery electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and range extender hybrid electric/hydrogen fuel cell), and they are compared with an internal combustion van propelled with natural gas. From this perspective, the conducted research offers a novel approximation to fleet replacement problems considering organization emission reporting and long-term budgetary objectives for vehicles and their respective refueling infrastructure. The comprehensive numerical simulations carried out over different study scenarios in Spain demonstrate that the optimization approach not only shows effective fleet renewal strategies but also identifies critical factors that impact the fleet’s competitiveness, offering valuable insights for fleet managers and policymakers. The findings indicate that in Spain, battery electric and hydrogen range extender light commercial vehicles stand as a competitive option. Substituting a natural gas-powered van with an electrified alternative can reduce an organization’s inventory emissions by up to 77% and total costs by up to 24%. Additionally, this study also points out the influence of energy supply pathways and the emissions from relevant scope 3 categories. Full article

Air transportation, which is a derived demand, is booming following the rapid development of the world economy, and carbon emissions from the air transportation industry, which takes fossil fuels as its main energy source, have been increasing. Therefore, with global warming attracting considerable attention, the issue of how to reduce carbon emissions from air transportation has become a hot issue. We take China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited (China Eastern) as an example to analyze the main factors influencing airlines’ carbon emissions, specifically around the impact of airline internal operating indicators, such as available seat kilometers (ASK), passenger load factor (PLF), fuel consumption per unit passenger kilometer, the average age of operated aircraft, on-time performance (OTP), etc. This paper uses a correlation analysis, panel regression analysis, and other ways to explore the influence mechanism of the above factors on carbon emission intensity. The conclusions for China Eastern are the following: first, PLF has a significant negative relationship with carbon emission intensity; second, fuel consumption per passenger kilometer has a significant negative relationship with carbon emission intensity. Third, OTP has a significant positive relationship with carbon emission intensity. Fourth, fleet size has a significant positive relationship with carbon emission intensity. Finally, we propose several targeted carbon abatement measures for China Eastern, such as improving PLF and OTP, reducing fuel consumption per unit passenger kilometer, speeding up fleet renewal, etc. Full article

Environmental, regulatory, and economic exogenous disruptions force companies within the maritime shipping industry to become more sustainable. Financing for implementing the necessary changes is particularly challenging for these companies, considering their narrow margins. With the changes in the shipping industry being intrinsically capital-intensive, funding is a particular issue, as few institutional or individual investors can provide the capital required. This paper investigates the challenges of financing. Drawing from the theory of pecking order on debt and equity, it conceptualizes the relation between the modes of financing for the maritime shipping companies and the nature of the disruptions. Initially, we analyze the various IMO decarbonization regulations, GHG emissions, alternative fuels, and green energy. Moreover, the relationship between fleet operation and management and finance is explored. The paper provides a framework to illustrate from a financial perspective the plethora of challenges and disruptions that have troubled the industry. We then recommend more suitable funding routes for companies to gauge the proper mix of equity and debt levels, bonds, and leverage, based on the company’s characteristics, such as size or ESG performance, as analyzed via the lens of corporate financing, along with the nature of the disruption, such as high inflation or geopolitical conflicts. In more detail, the paper focuses on key environmental, social, and governance (ESG) drivers both in the short-term and the long-term within the dry bulk shipping industry: impact investing and ESG factors are driving new investment opportunities and contributing to risk mitigation and long-term investment returns. The most pressing financial and economic questions of the time are wildly extended equity and bond valuations, inflation, and the conundrum most central banks face. Given these uncertainties, from an investment perspective for equity markets, the risk/return outlook for risk assets is skewed to the downside, making a cautious approach prudent for maritime shipping companies. Full article

The advances in electric mobility, motivated by current sustainability issues, have led public and private organizations to invest in the electrification of their corporate fleets. To succeed in this transition, companies must mitigate the impacts of electrification on their fleet operation, in particular the ones on vehicle recharging. The increase in energy demand caused by electrification may require changes in the company electrical infrastructure, the installation of charging stations, and the proper planning of the recharging schedule, considering the particularities of each fleet and operation. In this context, data analytics is seen as an important tool to help companies to understand their charging fleet profile, supporting decision makers in making data-driven decisions regarding their charging infrastructure. This paper shows how data analytics could be applied to analyze the charging data of corporate electric fleets, adopting a business-oriented analysis method based on the Cross Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM) methodology. The analyses were performed on data collected from three different companies, with each one of them operating fleets of vehicles of different categories, i.e., ultra-light, light, and heavy vehicles. The results illustrate how data analytics, based on interactive reports and dashboards, can shed light on business questions related to the operation of electric vehicle corporate fleets. Full article

Food losses and waste are associated with inefficient use of agricultural land, water and other resources and agricultural raw materials. Reducing the scale of food wastage is one of the most urgent challenges for food system operators, starting from agriculture to food consumption in the households. This is all the more urgent as food insecurity has deepened during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are few studies on how to reduce food losses in food processing sectors, as most researchers focus on the demand side of the market, especially within household consumption. To fill the knowledge gaps related to the inefficient production system in the baking and confectionery industry (BCI), research was conducted to estimate the scale of losses in BCI in Poland, determine their causes and assess the risk of their occurrence, identify retrieve points (RP) and ways of reducing and preventing losses. Two research methods were used. Quantitative data were collected using an Internet survey method on a sample of 48 bakeries. The qualitative data was provided by 5 individual in-depth interviews with experts from the surveyed industry. The results showed that the total scale of losses in Polish BCI reached 2.39% (in 2017) and 2.63% (in 2018) of the weight of manufactured products. The loss analysis was presented within respective sections of production: raw materials magazine (RMM), production section (PS), final product magazine (FPM), final product transport (FPT). The highest loss level was reported for PS—1.56% (2017), 1.85% (2018). Additionally, 12 loss risks and nine main cause categories were identified. Potential 6 retrieve points (RP) during the baking processes were indicated: making and handling intermediate products and dough; portioning and forming of dough, baking, customised packing, shipping (storage), transport by own fleet. The type of risk, the cause of losses, their consequences, and manners of preventing losses were specified for each RP. Being the first study of this kind in Poland, its results are key to build a road map for further researches focused on reduction of food losses, more sustainable management of resources in BCI. It might contribute to corporate social responsibility and value co-creation. Full article

Wood transportation is an important source of greenhouse gas emissions, which should be considered when the carbon neutrality of the forest industry is of concern. The EU is dedicated to improving technology for a carbon-neutral development. This study investigates carbon neutrality by improving road freight transportation fleets consisting of various vehicle size combinations. The environmental emission and energy efficiency of a transportation fleet were analyzed in selected wood procurement regions of Stora Enso corporation (Finland). Based on the enterprise resource planning (ERP) data (2018–2020), the environmental emission efficiency increased by 11% via 76 t-vehicles compared 64 t vehicles. The maximum reduction in fuel consumption was 26% for 92 t vehicles, though this was achieved when operations were fully adjusted to the maximum weight limit. The wood-based energy efficiency measure (wood energy/transport energy) was a useful development indicator. It showed that the adapted fleets of transportation companies support a positive development for a carbon-neutral forestry. In respect to the current legal fleet (64, 68 and 76 t), the use of 76 t vehicles increased energy efficiency most effectively, by 50%, compared to 64 t vehicles in the best region. Currently, transportation service providers and their clients are using ERP information to tailor their energy efficiency metric and to implement them locally in the transportation monitoring systems. A three-year sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the technological development of management tools to improve transportation efficiency is essential for larger and heavier vehicle utilization. In the future, the whole wood supply chain from forest to factory will also be optimized with respect to energy efficiency criterion to ensure a low-carbon forest industry. Full article

The aviation industry contributes substantially to the global climate change, and, thus, airline companies need development of climate-friendly ethics. The content of the codes of conduct of 16 airline companies boasting either the greatest number of daily departures or the largest air fleet (or both) are analyzed. It is established that 25% of these companies prescribe climate-friendly behavior often focusing on emissions. Moreover, many other companies prescribe pro-environmental behavior. The situation seems to be promising, although improvements of the existing corporate ethical prescriptions are necessary. Despite its tentative character and certain limitations, this study permits putting the climate-friendly ethics of airlines on the international agenda. Practically, it is important to add climate-related notions to those codes of conduct where these do not exist and to use successful examples as ethical templates for the entire aviation industry. Full article

Nowadays, the impact of the ships on the World economy is enormous, considering that every ship needs fuel to sail from source to destination. It requires a lot of fuel, and therefore, there is a need to monitor and predict a ship’s average fuel consumption. However, although there are much models available to predict a ship’s consumption, most of them rely on a uniform time set. Here we show the model of predicting external influences to ship’s average fuel consumption based on a non-uniform time set. The model is based on the numeric fitting of recorded data. The first set of recorded data was used to develop the model, while the second set was used for validation. Statistical quality measures have been used to choose the optimal fitting function for the model. According to statistical measures, the Gaussian 7, Fourier 8, and smoothing spline fitting functions were chosen as optimal algorithms for model development. In addition to extensive data analysis, there is an algorithm for filter length determination for the preprocessing of raw data. This research is of interest to corporate logistics departments in charge of ensuring adequate fuel for fleets when and where required. Full article

Various factors must be considered when running a courier service in an urban area, because the infrastructure of a city differs from those in suburban or countryside areas. Of note, population density is higher, and vehicles encounter greater restrictions. Moreover, air pollution from fossil fuel combustion is more severe. As tailpipe emissions are becoming costly to both corporations and the environment, researchers are increasingly exploring more appealing transportation options. Electric bicycles have become an important mode of transportation in some countries in the past decade. Electric bicycles and automobiles have their respective merits and demerits when used to provide courier services. E-bikes in particular can ply their trade in densely packed areas that are off-limits to cars and trucks. This paper focuses on (1) developing a truck–bike mixture model to reduce operating costs for an existing truck-only service by replacing some of the trucks with bicycles, and (2) exploring the resulting effects in terms of reducing overall carbon emissions. Data from one of the major courier companies in South Korea were utilized. The problem was tackled as a heterogeneous fleet vehicle routing problem using simulated annealing because the actual size of the problem cannot be solved directly with a mathematical approach. The most effective fleet mix was found for the company’s case. Effects on operating costs and reduced emissions were analyzed for 15 different scenarios with varying demands and off-limits areas. Computational results revealed that the new model is viable from economic and sustainability standpoints. They indicated that costs decrease to varying degrees in all scenarios, and that carbon emissions also decrease by around 10% regardless of the selected scenario. Full article

The idea of corporate social responsibility has promoted bus operation agencies to rethink how to provide not only efficient but also environmentally friendly services for residents. A study on the potential of using an optimized design of skip-stop services, one of the essential operational strategies in practice, to reduce emissions is conducted in this paper. The underlying scheduling problem is formulated as a nonlinear programming problem with the primary objective of optimizing the total costs for both passengers and operating agencies, as well as with the secondary objective of minimizing bus emissions. A solution method is developed to solve the problem. A real-world case of Route 16 in Beijing is studied, in which the optimal scheduling strategy that maximizes the cost savings and environmental benefits is determined. The costs and emissions of the proposed scheduling strategy are compared with the optimal scheduling with skip-stop services without considering bus emissions. The results show that the proposed scheduling strategy outperforms the other operating strategy with respect to operational costs and bus emissions. A sensitivity study is then conducted to investigate the impact of the fleet size in operations and passenger demand on the effectiveness of the proposed stop-skipping strategy considering bus emissions. Full article

Diesel powered tractors are used to shuttle cargo trailers from point to point within the confines of a port facility, terminal or warehouse yard. Such operations are similar to those in ground support applications at airports and in industrial warehouses with lift trucks, in that the vehicles are used as tools to move goods in a semi-regular pattern. Southern California Edison Company (SCE) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) have partnered to help electrify vehicle operations in both of those venues with great success and see good prospects for the same at port operations. However, current port operations might require large investments in infrastructure and operational changes to implement electric drive all at once. To help demonstrate the benefits of electric drive without requiring large-scale changes, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) yard tractor design was proposed by EPRI and member utilities as a means to reduce operational emissions and diesel fuel use. Four member utility companies with large port customers in their service area (SCE, Southern Company, CenterPoint Energy, and New York Power Authority) agreed to work with EPRI to study the benefits and impacts of a PHEV yard tractor. In 2007 the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) contracted US Hybrid Corporation (USH) to design and construct a unique PHEV yard tractor. SCE agreed to test and evaluate the PHEV yard tractor for EPRI. To properly evaluate the benefits realized by the yard tractor in comparison to unmodified conventional yard tractors as well as other alternative fueled tractors, SCE had to test the tractor in controlled conditions with realistic loads in addition to field testing. SCE developed test procedures for controlled testing and for field evaluation. The field testing was conducted in four ports across the United States, each with different operating conditions and climate: Long Beach, California; Houston, Texas; Savannah, Georgia; and New York City. SCE designed a test procedure that simulates an accelerated duty cycle of cargo operations. The accelerated duty cycle has multiple starts and stops and little idle time. SCE measured the idling fuel consumption separately so it can be inserted to match the duty cycle of any particular port. The test cycle was performed with the vehicle both unloaded and loaded to profile the effects of load on system efficiencies. SCE also tested the battery and charger performance of the PHEV, and as a comparison, tested an unmodified yard tractor. In the accelerated testing, SCE found the PHEV fuel savings were as high as 60% (on a per-cycle basis) when compared to a stock diesel Kalmar tractor, and up to 35% fuel savings versus operating the PHEV tractor as a hybrid (i.e, not charging it), In charge sustaining operation, the fuel savings are as high as 40% compared to the stock vehicle. On a daily-operation basis, the projected fuel savings on a duty cycle similar to the SCE test cycle could be as low as 35% but as high as 60% with significant amounts of idling and low speed operation. The field test results show good fuel economy but are complicated by reliability issues that reduced the operational time of the prototype PHEV vehicle. Also, it was difficult to get fleet fuel use data. It was the intention in the project to compare the test vehicle’s results with the fleet average fuel use per unit time. These results will be discussed in the body of the paper. Port operators, in general, appreciated the engineoff mode’s reduced noise and exhaust. The US Hybrid prototype PHEV yard tractor has the potential to significantly reduce fuel consumption, as demonstrated in the SCE tests. Performance issues with the prototype prevented full duty in the field tests. Further testing, with a more reliable vehicle incorporating the key system improvements learned from this project, is worth pursuing to determine if the potential fuel savings can be fully realized in larger scale. Furthermore, the techniques and testing methods described can be used for other alternatively-fueled yard tractors. Full article

Environmental and energy security concerns are driving federal agencies to evaluate alternative domestically produced energy. Among the various technologies studied, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) launched a five-year demonstration project named “Controlled Hydrogen Fleet and Infrastructure Demonstration and Validation Project” to investigate the feasibility of hydrogen as a transportation fuel. To achieve the objective, the DOE selected a team of industry leaders to design, construct and operate a system consisting of various hydrogen fueling stations and fleet of fuel cell electric vehicles. One of the selected teams consists of Chevron Technology Ventures Inc., Hyundai American Motor Co., UTC Fuel Cells, and Southern California-Edison (SCE). Each team member is responsible for a key task: Chevron — design and build the hydrogen fueling station, Hyundai and UTC — build the Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles, and SCE — site-owner, characterize and operate the system in a real world setting.
The hydrogen fueling station was built at the corporate offices of SCE in Rosemead, California. This station is capable of maintaining a minimum storage capacity of 60 kg, a daily production and dispensing capacity of 40kg, a fueling pressure of 5,000PSI, and a maximum vehicle fueling time of five minutes. As an electric utility company, SCE will perform a detailed power analysis of the station and determined key functions, such as system power demand, efficiency, and reliability. Prior to fleet assessment, SCE characterized the performance of three fuel cell electric vehicles at its EV Technical Center in Pomona, California. This characterization included both freeway and urban drive-range testing. In addition, the vehicles will be deployed to various sites throughout the SCE service territory for fleet assessments. Among the various test sites will be Palm Springs, designated as the hot-climate site.
This project demonstrates the ability of hydrogen to be a possible source of sustainable domestic transportation energy. The lessons learned in this project provide valuable knowledge to the partners by conducting project tasks, such as permitting, code compliance, vehicle characterizations, fleet assessment, and infrastructure installation. Full article