A Stochastic Sustainable Closed-Loop Supply Chain Networks for Used Solar Photovoltaic Systems: Meta-Heuristic Comparison and Real Case Study

Abstract

This research presents a novel approach to setting up a sustainable Closed-Loop Supply Chain (CLSC) network for used solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, addressing end-of-life product waste from solar panel installations and manufacturing centers. The model accounts for uncertainties in PV systems and aims to efficiently collect, refurbish, and recycle used solar PV systems, promoting a circular and environmentally responsible waste management strategy. The supply chain network comprises vendors, collection centers, hybrid centers, distribution centers, and manufacturing centers, with objectives to maximize total profit, minimize environmental risk, and maximize service levels by demonstrating the profitable reuse of used solar photovoltaic systems by manufacturers. The epsilon-constraint method is utilized to handle the model's multi-objectiveness and identify Pareto optimal solutions. A case study in Iran is conducted to validate the methodology's performance, comparing results obtained from three meta-heuristic methods: Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II), Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO), and Multi-Objective Gray Wolf Optimization (MOGWO). The average error rates are 0.0358 for MOGWO, 0.1248 for MOPSO, and 0.2066 for NSGA-II. Sensitivity analysis highlights the significant impact of demand variations on all objective functions. Lastly, the numerical results are discussed to provide managerial insights for informed decision-making.