GreenRoute · A web based platform which help individuals and companies move commodities with the most environmental friendly way, minimizing emissions and transportation cost

GreenRoute: A web based platform which help individuals and companies move commodities with the most environmental friendly way, minimizing emissions and transportation cost

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION “GreenRoute” is a three-year Marie Curie Career Integration Grant intended to improve the prospects for the permanent integration of Dr. Georgios K.D. Saharidis in the EU. Dr. Saharidis has been offered, in the frame of the project, a tenure-track faculty position in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Thessaly in Greece (MIE-UTH) after a mobility period in the USA. The overall scientific aim of “GreenRoute” is to develop a decision support system hosted in a web-based platform which will help individuals and companies move commodities in the most environmentally friendly way, minimising environmental externalities. The developed platform uses existing information systems such as GIS, weather forecast, traffic information systems and emission calculation models as a basis to apply the main scientific outcomes of GreenRoute. WORK PERFORMED -A novel emission factor was introduced by developing a function that assigns a score to each arc of a transportation network referred to as the Environmental Externalities Score (EES) function of the arc. -Existing emission calculation models were revised to incorporate the EES function and use it as a correction coefficient. -The EES was introduced as a novel objective function in the Green Vehicle Routing Problem (G-VRP) and the Green Traveling Salesman Problem (G-TSP). -A novel approach for solving G-VRP and G-TSP based on mathematical decomposition was developed. -The GreenRoute platform was developed, tested, and evaluated. -The outcomes of the project were widely disseminated through presentations in international conferences, the organization of a workshop and a conference by Dr. Saharidis, publications in scientific journals and conference proceedings, the editing of special issues of scientific journals, and the development of a dedicated web site: www.greenyourroute.com. MAIN RESULTS -The recipient of the grant, Dr. Georgios K.D. Saharidis, was offered a tenure-track faculty position at MIE-UTH. -Six main parameters influencing the production of emissions were identified independently of the vehicle type and driving pattern and the interaction between them was analysed. Among them, the road gradient was found to be of primary importance. -Use EES function to assign an environmental score to each route based on static and dynamic data. -Emission calculation models were improved on average by 40% using EES as a correction factor. -The optimal solution for G-VRP and G-TSP was computed on average 40% faster than the classical exact formulations using decomposition techniques. -The GreenRoute platform was published on the web for free use. EXPECTED FINAL RESULTS AND THEIR POTENTIAL IMPACT AND USE -The EES has potential to be established as a novel emission factor and form the basis of a correction factor for emission calculation. -The developed solution approach for the G-VRP and G-TSP may be used by other researchers who are working or are interested in applying exact solution techniques, or extend those in an approximation setting. -The four special issues on the interrelated application areas of transportation, energy and the environment will provide a consolidated framework of state-of-the-art results on green routing. -The GreenRoute platform can be used from institutes for training, teaching and research purposes. -The GreenRoute platform can be used from individuals and SMEs for their regular routing needs for free. -New research proposals will be submitted to further explore the benefits of green routing.

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