REMEDYING UNDERPERFORMING SOLAR PV ASSETS WITH ELECTROLYZER RETROFITS

This study explores and quantifies the value of retrofitting utility-scale solar PV-only assets with PEM electrolyzers to produce green hydrogen. Momentum for global hydrogen demand as well as pathways towards decarbonization, are discussed. The study then highlights ways in which green hydrogen electrolyzers could benefit solar PV assets’ financial performance. Hypothetical assets within California’s CAISO jurisdiction are examined and good candidates for retrofits are identified. Aspects unique to the CAISO market are fleshed-out like The Duck Curve and the high proportion of renewable energy sources. The study uses a Monte Carlo simulation to demonstrate probabilistic combinations of solar PV and green hydrogen lifecycle costs. Use of this framework as a guide would enable project developers and/or investors to facilitate necessary transitions to a reliable, affordable, and clean economy

Project scheduling under undertainty – survey and research potentials.

The vast majority of the research efforts in project scheduling assume complete information about the scheduling problem to be solved and a static deterministic environment within which the pre-computed baseline schedule will be executed. However, in the real world, project activities are subject to considerable uncertainty, that is gradually resolved during project execution. In this survey we review the fundamental approaches for scheduling under uncertainty: reactive scheduling, stochastic project scheduling, stochastic GERT network scheduling, fuzzy project scheduling, robust (proactive) scheduling and sensitivity analysis. We discuss the potentials of these approaches for scheduling projects under uncertainty.Management; Project management; Robustness; Scheduling; Stability;

Mathematics in the Supply Chain

[no abstract available

Feasibility study of an Integrated Program for Aerospace vehicle Design (IPAD). Volume 1B: Concise review

Reports on the design process, support of the design process, IPAD System design catalog of IPAD technical program elements, IPAD System development and operation, and IPAD benefits and impact are concisely reviewed. The approach used to define the design is described. Major activities performed during the product development cycle are identified. The computer system requirements necessary to support the design process are given as computational requirements of the host system, technical program elements and system features. The IPAD computer system design is presented as concepts, a functional description and an organizational diagram of its major components. The cost and schedules and a three phase plan for IPAD implementation are presented. The benefits and impact of IPAD technology are discussed

Connections 2040 Plan for Greater Philadelphia Amended Transportation Investments

The Connections 2040 Plan for Greater Philadelphia assesses regional trends and forecasts and sets forth a vision for the future. The Plan establishes goals and identifies strategies to achieve its core principles: managing growth and protecting natural resources, creating livable communities, building the economy, and establishing a modern, multimodal transportation system. The Plan identifies a set of transportation investments that are needed to preserve and maintain the existing system, as well as other critical improvements that make the system operate more efficiently and expand capacity. The passage of Act 89 in November 2013 will provide additional funding for transportation investments in the Pennsylvania portion of the DVRPC region. The Plan is being amended to include additional projects in the Pennsylvania subregion

Theory and Practice of Supply Chain Synchronization

In this dissertation, we develop strategies to synchronize component procurement in assemble-to-order (ATO) production and overhaul operations. We focus on the high-tech and mass customization industries which are not only considered to be very important to create or keep U.S. manufacturing jobs, but also suffer most from component inventory burden. In the second chapter, we address the deterministic joint replenishment inventory problem with batch size constraints (JRPB). We characterize system regeneration points, derive a closed-form expression of the average product inventory, and formulate the problem of finding the optimal joint reorder interval to minimize inventory and ordering costs per unit of time. Thereafter, we discuss exact solution approaches and the case of variable reorder intervals. Computational examples demonstrate the power of our methodology. In the third chapter, we incorporate stochastic demand to the JRPB. We propose a joint part replenishment policy that balances inventory and ordering costs while providing a desired service level. A case study and guided computational experiments show the magnitudes of savings that are possible using our methodology. In the fourth chapter, we show how lack of synchronization in assembly systems with long and highly variable component supply lead times can rapidly deteriorate system performance. We develop a full synchronization strategy through time buffering of component orders, which not only guarantees meeting planned production dates but also drastically reduces inventory holding costs. A case study has been carried out to prove the practical relevance, assess potential risks, and evaluate phased implementation policies. The fifth chapter explores the use of condition information from a large number of distributed working units in the field to improve the management of the inventory of spare parts required to maintain those units. Synchronization is again paramount here since spare part inventory needs to adapt to the condition of the engine fleet. All needed parts must be available to complete the overhaul of a unit. We develop a complex simulation environment to assess the performance of different inventory policies and the value of health monitoring. The sixth chapter concludes this dissertation and outlines future research plans as well as opportunities

Sustainable Municipal Operations: Independence, Oregon

Portland State University, Hatfield School of Government (PSU), and Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA), has formed a partnership to develop Sustainable Municipal Operations Plans that documents sustainability and energy management best practices. The goal of this partnership is to determine how a City/municipality can actively manage energy as a controllable expense by following a predetermined operation protocol. The PSU team developed a framework of best practices for sustainable municipal operations in different categories including facilities, fleet, purchasing, operations and the work environment. After identifying pilot jurisdictions, the team applied these best practices to the current operations of local governments in Oregon with limited capacity to do so independently. A list of criteria was used to select the jurisdictions based on the commitment to sustainability and executive level management support. Independence was selected as a pilot for these reasons following detailed conversations with City administrators and management staff on the issues the team would be investigating. The results of this project are intended to both serve as a foundation for each jurisdiction to move forward with implementing improvements, and also as a starting point in learning new and innovative approaches to sustainable operations in municipal and City governments. The PSU team, compiled of experienced practitioners, worked with Independence initially to provide clarity around the goals and deliverables of the project, solidifying the commitment of the City to provide information and relevant data for the purpose of drafting this report. We visited the City on numerous occasions to understand the current operations, state of facilities, challenges and opportunities for the City and staff. The following report provides an overview of our process working with Independence to collect and gather information, our findings and recommendations for both the immediate and long term, as well as suggested strategies for implementation

Merck Animal Health Uses Operations Research Methods to Transform Biomanufacturing Productivity for Lifesaving Medicines

Merck Animal Health offers veterinarians, farmers, pet owners, and governments a wide range of veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines, health management solutions and services, and an extensive suite of connected technology that includes identification, traceability, and monitoring products. Biomanufacturing uses living organisms (i.e., viruses and bacteria) to grow the active ingredients in vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and therapeutics. This high-tech manufacturing process generates unique challenges not found in many other industries. For example, biomanufacturing operations include high levels of uncertainty and batch-to-batch variability in production yield, lead times, and costs. Additionally, the high cost of equipment and labor-intensive nature of operations preclude the ability to flexibly add capacity. Facing these challenges, we decided that harnessing the power of operations research and advanced analytics to complement our rich life sciences and biomanufacturing expertise was critical. After four years of collaboration with the Eindhoven University of Technology, we developed a portfolio of optimization models and decision support applications that substantially improved our biomanufacturing effectiveness. The implementation of the developed models had a significant impact by generating $200 million of additional revenue without the need for additional raw materials, energy resources, or new equipment. The developed models are widely adopted across the firm, thus enhancing its core function

Addressing Resource Intermittency Through Co-Locating Utility-Scale Wind And Pv Systems: Strategies For Meeting Regional Electrical Demand With Renewable Energy

This thesis identifies and analyzes the benefits of co-locating wind and PV power production technologies. To analyze the benefits of co-locating wind and PV power production technologies, a novel empirically driven economic optimization model was developed. The optimization model determines the lowest possible cost system consisting of wind, PV, and storage capacity that meets the required load and energy reserve margin for any selected location. The optimization model also assumes a 100% renewable energy environment. In a 100% renewable energy environment, the total sum of power a technology can produce is only one factor. A technology’s consistency and variability of power production, the timing of its power production in comparison to peak loads, and its cost, are also significant factors in determining a location’s optimal combination mix of renewable energy technology capacities.The main goal is to always meet load demand for the least expensive cost. A mix of renewable energy technologies that can always satisfy load demand at exceedingly high probabilities, and do so at the lowest expense, should be preferred