Multi-objective synthesis of a company's supply network by accounting for several environmental footprints

Abstract

This contribution presents the multi-objective synthesis of a company's supply network by integrating renewables (biomass and other waste, and solar energy) and accounting for several environmental footprints. The synthesis is based on a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) problem. A previously developed model by the authors for achieving energy self-sufficiency by integrating renewables into companies’ supply networks has been extended for the evaluation of environmental impacts, such as energy, carbon, nitrogen, and water footprints. The achievement of an energy self-sufficient supply network has been considered whilst significantly reducing environmental impacts.The presented model is applied to multinational poultry-meat producing company. Direct (burdening) and indirect (unburdening) effects that form total effects on the environment are considered for the evaluation of environmental footprints. The results showed significant unburdening of the environment in terms of carbon and nitrogen footprints but, however, higher burdening in terms of the water footprint.