Optimal Design of Renewable Energy Supply Chains Under Uncertainty

世界各地越来越多地采用可再生能源供应链(RESC)，以此作为减少与化石燃料消费相关的环境影响的有效方式。最近的一个趋势是在住宅和工业用户之间的供应链环境中扩展可再生能源。然而，由于缺乏专业知识和研究资金，需要进一步研究，以便向居民和工业用户，特别是中小型用户提供洞察力。 这一独立研究计划的长期目标是制定一个全面的框架，通过向可持续能源的过渡，指导加拿大能源部门的利益相关者。由于大量中小型能源用户(SMU)生活在农村和偏远社区，这一研究计划对加拿大至关重要。特别是，我们需要一个加拿大的可持续能源消费解决方案，该解决方案考虑到环境、商业、文化和可用的能源资源，并通过审查和参照其他国家的经验加以完善。在未来5年内，将追求3个相互关联的短期目标，以支持长期目标：(1)制定一个框架，以评估为中小企业发展RESC的可行性；(2)制定一个框架和模式，以在不确定的情况下优化RESC；以及(3)发展一个框架和模式，在RESC中实施“共享经济”。 目标1将侧重于开发一个分析框架，以研究在加拿大为中小型能源用户应用RESC的可行性。在这一目标范围内，将为不同地理、规模和能源概况环境下的可再生能源的最佳组合开发一个模型。目标2将调查与区域干细胞有关的一系列不确定性。此外，将对供应链的不同利益相关者进行调查，以确定个人在实施RESCs时的态度和利益。目标3将审查在区域经济合作中心实施共享经济的挑战和机遇。因此，通过使用数学模型来量化实施共享经济所创造的价值。模拟的结果将为政策制定者制定指南提供基础，这些政策制定者希望确定在共享区域经济合作中实现可持续性的不同途径。 每项目标的审查框架和模型将通过适用于现实世界的案例(即工业和住宅合作伙伴)加以验证。重点将放在能源共生等未得到充分研究的可再生能源上。这项研究涉及本科生和研究生，以增加一个对加拿大和世界各国非常重要的研究领域的高素质人员(HQP)的数量。 总体而言，这项研究计划将促进向可持续能源供应链的过渡，并减少对下一代的环境影响。

The adoption of renewable energy supply chains (RESCs) is growing across the world as an effective way to reduce the environmental impact associated with fossil fuel consumption. A recent trend is extending renewable sources of energy in the supply chain context between residential and industrial users. However, further research is needed to provide insight to residential and industrial users, in particular, for small and medium-sized users due to lack of their access to expertise and research funding. The long-term objective of this independent research program is to develop a comprehensive framework to direct stakeholders in the Canadian energy sector through a transition to sustainable energy sources. This research program is crucial for Canada due to a large number of small and medium-sized energy users (SMUs) living in rural and far away communities. In particular, we need a Canadian solution for sustainable energy consumption that considers the environment, business, culture, and available energy resources, which is polished through reviewing and benchmarking other nation's experiences. Over the next 5 years, 3 interrelated short-term objectives will be pursued to support the long-term objective: (1) Develop a framework to evaluate the feasibility of developing RESCs for SMUs, (2) Develop a framework and models to optimize the RESCs under uncertainty, and (3) Develop a framework and models for implementing “sharing economy” in RESCs. Objective 1 will focus on developing an analytical framework to study the feasibility of the application of RESC in Canada for small and medium-sized energy users. Within this objective, a model will be developed for an optimal mix of renewable energy sources in different geographical, size, and energy-profile settings. Objective 2 will investigate a set of uncertainties related to the RESCs. Moreover, different stakeholders of the supply chain will be investigated to identify individual attitudes and interests in implementing RESCs. Objective 3 will review challenges and opportunities to implement the sharing economy in RESCs. As a result, the values created by implementing sharing economy are quantified using mathematical modeling. The outcomes of the modeling will provide a basis for developing guidance for policy-makers looking to identify different pathways towards sustainability in shared RESCs. The reviewed framework and models for each objective will be validated by applying to real-world cases (i.e., industrial and residential partners). The focus will be on understudied renewable sources of energy such as energy symbiosis. This research involves undergraduate and graduate students to increase the number of highly qualified personnel (HQP) in a research area that is very important for Canada and countries across the world. Collectively, this research program will facilitate the transition towards sustainable energy supply chains and the reduction of environmental impact for the next generations.