scholarly journals Improving Environmental and Energy Efficiency in Wood Transportation for a Carbon-Neutral Forest Industry

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1194
Author(s):  
Teijo Palander ◽  
Hanna Haavikko ◽  
Emma Kortelainen ◽  
Kalle Kärhä ◽  
Stelian Alexandru Borz
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Enterprise Resource Planning ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Positive Development ◽  
Forest Industry ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Efficiency Criterion ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Carbon Neutral

Wood transportation is an important source of greenhouse gas emissions, which should be considered when the carbon neutrality of the forest industry is of concern. The EU is dedicated to improving technology for a carbon-neutral development. This study investigates carbon neutrality by improving road freight transportation fleets consisting of various vehicle size combinations. The environmental emission and energy efficiency of a transportation fleet were analyzed in selected wood procurement regions of Stora Enso corporation (Finland). Based on the enterprise resource planning (ERP) data (2018–2020), the environmental emission efficiency increased by 11% via 76 t-vehicles compared 64 t vehicles. The maximum reduction in fuel consumption was 26% for 92 t vehicles, though this was achieved when operations were fully adjusted to the maximum weight limit. The wood-based energy efficiency measure (wood energy/transport energy) was a useful development indicator. It showed that the adapted fleets of transportation companies support a positive development for a carbon-neutral forestry. In respect to the current legal fleet (64, 68 and 76 t), the use of 76 t vehicles increased energy efficiency most effectively, by 50%, compared to 64 t vehicles in the best region. Currently, transportation service providers and their clients are using ERP information to tailor their energy efficiency metric and to implement them locally in the transportation monitoring systems. A three-year sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the technological development of management tools to improve transportation efficiency is essential for larger and heavier vehicle utilization. In the future, the whole wood supply chain from forest to factory will also be optimized with respect to energy efficiency criterion to ensure a low-carbon forest industry.

scholarly journals Exploring Carbon Neutral Potential in Urban Densification: A Precinct Perspective and Scenario Analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 4814
Author(s):  
Bin Huang ◽  
Ke Xing ◽  
Stephen Pullen ◽  
Lida Liao
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Scenario Analysis ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Carbon Reduction ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Carbon Neutral ◽  
Carbon Performance

Decarbonising the urban built environment for reaching carbon neutrality is high on the agenda for many cities undergoing rapid expansion and densification. As an important urban form, precincts have been increasingly focused on as the context for urban redevelopment planning and at the forefront for trialling carbon reduction measures. However, due to interplays between the built forms and the occupancy, the carbon performance of a precinct is significantly affected by morphological variations, demographical changes, and renewable energy system deployment. Despite much research on the development of low-carbon precincts, there is limited analysis on aggregated effects of population growth, building energy efficiency, renewable energy penetration, and carbon reduction targets in relation to precinct carbon signature and carbon neutral potential for precinct redevelopment and decarbonisation planning. In this paper, an integrated carbon assessment model, including overall precinct carbon emissions and carbon offset contributed by precinct-scale renewable energy harvesting, is developed and applied to examine the lifecycle carbon signature of urban precincts. Using a case study on a residential precinct redevelopment, scenario analysis is employed to explore opportunities for decarbonising densification development and the carbon neutral potential. Results from scenario analysis indicate that redevelopment of buildings with higher-rated energy efficiency and increase of renewable energy penetration can have a long term positive impact on the carbon performance of urban precincts. Meanwhile, demographical factors in precinct evolution also have a strong influence on a precinct’s carbon neutral potential. Whilst population size exerts upward pressure on total carbon emissions, changes in family types and associated consumption behaviour, such as travelling, can make positive contributions to carbon reduction. The analysis also highlights the significance of embodied carbon to the total carbon signature and the carbon reduction potential of a precinct during densification, reinforcing the notion that “develop with less” is as important as carbon offsetting measures for decarbonising the precinct toward carbon neutrality.

scholarly journals Evaluating Critical Success Factors of ERP Implementation in SMEs

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 1144-1149
Keyword(s):  
Enterprise Resource Planning ◽  
Critical Success Factors ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Erp Implementation ◽  
Critical Success ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Failure Factors

This paper is aimed at reviewing present state of the art (1998-March 2019) on the impact of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). It includes critical success factors and critical failure factors.The technique depends on writing survey for optional information gathering. It characterizes the expressions that are utilized to get explore papers from databases and advanced studies on the ERP implementation in SMEs. It additionally incorporates the consideration and prohibition criteria to improve nature of papers. At that point methodical audit is made on the accessible papers to research the effect of ERP usage in SMEs.Critical factors are identified for success and failure of ERP implementations and actual impact of the same on SMEs (add actual success and failure factors here besides impact). The research found in this paper has limitations in terms of the period of which research papers have been reviewed. An implicit limitation is that it does not consider an empirical study except focusing on the state of the art found in the research area. However, its insights will have potential benefits and the directions for future work helps in further scope of the research. This paper contributes to the research on the impact of ERP implementation on SMEs either positively or negatively. It discovers critical success factors, critical failure factors and impact through secondary data collection method. The insights will help SMEs and stakeholders of SMEs and ERP service providers to know the reasons for failure or success and take necessary course of action.

A Cloud Computing Perspective towards Adoption of Technological Transformation and Innovation among Higher Educational Institutions

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 39-43
Author(s):  
K. C. Shiva Shankar ◽  
G. T. Jagadeesha
Keyword(s):  
Cloud Computing ◽  
Enterprise Resource Planning ◽  
Service Provider ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Educational Institution ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Educational Institutions ◽  
Technological Transformation ◽  
Time Service

In this competitive business environment, each and every service providers tries to differentiate themselves in offering their products and services according to the basic expectations of the target audiences. Wherein currently technological transformation and its adoption becomes a predominant and essential factor for the success of any service provider in the modern educational institution of the growing Indian service sector. Adoption of modern technologies in to their business offerings certainly increased their competitive advantage compared to other service providers on one hand and on the other hand it provides a unique way of delivery its regular services with a major differentiation with help of technology among their major stakeholders. Modern Growing Educational Institutions are now a days forced to make use of the technological advancements available to them in order increase their business potential and also adoption of such technologies like Cloud Computing (CC), Internet of Things (IoT), Business Automation with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), etc., has certainly provided a wider range of opportunities in the field of education. However, it is the basic responsibility of each and every service provider to make use of such technology in to their business when and wherever it is required, it needs to be analyzed and utilized within shorter period of time would certainly help them to become a market leader, at the same time, service providers of various educational institutions would be found to be more aggressive in their day to day offering of their services to various stake holders and also business activities would be certainly enriched with the higher adoption of Technology as a core competence factor.

scholarly journals Impacts of Road Infrastructure on the Environmental Efficiency of High Capacity Transportation in Harvesting of Renewable Wood Energy

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 453
Author(s):  
Teijo Palander ◽  
Stelian Alexandru Borz ◽  
Kalle Kärhä
Keyword(s):  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Enterprise Resource Planning ◽  
Road Network ◽  
High Capacity ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Environmental Efficiency ◽  
Forest Industry ◽  
Forest Roads ◽  
Road Infrastructure ◽  
Wood Energy

Transportation of renewable wood is increasing, being a necessary operation in logistics of the environmentally sustainable forest industry. However, increasing the transportation capacity is a source of greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to trucks’ emissions, maintaining road infrastructure affects the environment by the emissions of increasing utilization of HCT (high-capacity transportation), that is, larger and heavier vehicles, affecting the backhauling transportation and the efficiency of road-network combinations. Environmental efficiency is an important metric which is used for comparisons among technological alternatives employed in the utilization of energy derived from both fossil and renewable resources. Based on the enterprise resource planning (ERP) data (2018–2020), CO2 emissions of increasing HCT were calculated for a forest industry corporation. The reduction in average fuel consumption (ml t × km−1), between 52% and 70% in backhauling transportation, was 18.88%. In this respect, CO2 emissions were reduced by 4.52 g t × km−1, achieving 19.48 g t × km−1, based on the data from the 76 t vehicle combinations. Furthermore, the metric of total environmental efficiency shows the potential of the alternative road-network combinations for the HCT. The environmental efficiency of the 92 t HCT increased by 11% via an intensive road-network combination, compared to the most efficient 76 t HCT alternative and the efficiency increased by 21%, compared to the most efficient line-hauling alternative. Thus, the results are in favor of the backhauling transportation by the means of 92 t vehicles for HCT development. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis demonstrates that technological improvement of the forest roads is essential for HCT in an increasing harvesting of renewable wood energy. Also, to achieve the maximum environmental efficiency of the HCT during upgrading of the forest roads, efficiency measurements of the HCT should be implemented in the transportation planning systems.

scholarly journals The Optimum Wood Procurement Scenario and Its Dynamic Management for Integrated Energy and Material Production in Carbon-Neutral Forest Industry

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4404
Author(s):  
Teijo Palander ◽  
Jari Takkinen
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Forest Industry ◽  
Forest Sector ◽  
Integrated Production ◽  
Material Production ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Carbon Neutral ◽  
Wood Procurement ◽  
Energy Reform

The digitalization of the forest sector, the increased demand of energy-wood, as well as faster market changes have increased the number of challenges for wood procurement of the forest industry. The aim of the study is to optimize wood procurement (upstream of supply chain) of energy and material production in integrated situations, and to consider the effects of production changes on the management of procurement regions. Three scenarios described integrated production situations in a carbon-neutral forest industry: (1) declining export, (2) energy reform, and (3) extensive energy reform. Time-varying capital-, cost-, and energy efficiency of the dynamic wood-flow model affected the competitiveness of the procurement regions. As a novel contribution, energy efficiency was modeled using the price of emission allowance as a cost parameter. The results show the positive effects of the energy reforms, which partly compensate for the declining exports. In addition, it is possible to change wood procurement in the regions in a market-oriented way. Decision makers should optimize purchases, inventories, and procurement resources as business processes, which are also considered success factors for the forest industry in integrated production situations. The strategic solution of extensive energy reform provides a potential approach for carbon-neutral customer-oriented supply chains, but it needs tactical energy efficiency analysis in future studies of sustainability, if the ultimate goal is to implement a carbon-free forest industry and bioeconomy.

scholarly journals Analysis of Carbon Neutrality Programmes in the  International Market

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Robert Mitchell
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Information Asymmetry ◽  
Adverse Selection ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Market Failures ◽  
Environmental Reporting ◽  
Carbon Neutrality ◽  
Potential Market ◽  
Carbon Neutral ◽  
Selection Of

<p>Carbon Neutrality is a new concept that lacks a broadly accepted definition. There are diverse definitions and many different carbon neutrality programmes available in the market. The availability of so many diverse definitions and programmes can create confusion about what consumers are buying and whether or not it is of a reasonable level of quality. This thesis's aim was to analyse a selection of programmes from the Carbon Neutrality market to gain a greater understanding of content, process, and criteria that comprise carbon programmes. As there was a lack of literature available on Carbon Neutrality; this thesis developed a series of criteria that were developed from a literature review of the broader literature of environmental. The literature review focused on potential market failures, environmental reporting and eco-labels, which identified issues such as information asymmetry, lack of transparency, and adverse selection. Of the Carbon Neutrality service providers asked to participate in this thesis, the majority declined, as a result two were analysed; The Carbon Neutral Company, and CarbonZero. The analysis showed that the programmes use many, but not all, of the criteria identified by this thesis as necessary to provide accurate and comprehensive Carbon Neutral accreditation. The programmes varied in their definitions of what is Carbon Neutrality. This was illustrated by which sections of their programmes were voluntary and which were mandatory. This thesis came to the conclusion that as an undeveloped market there are issues around what should be included in a programme. The criteria developed by this thesis also have the potential to be used for analysing environmental reporting standards and eco-labels. Furthermore methods of communicating a programme's content and the outcome of CN accreditation varied, exhibiting both positive and negative aspects addressing issues such as information asymmetry and adverse selection.</p>

scholarly journals A Cloud-Based Enterprise Resource Planning Architecture for Women’s Education in Remote Areas

Electronics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1758
Author(s):  
Raheela Nasim ◽  
Halim Ullah ◽  
Sanam Shahla Rizvi ◽  
Almas Abbasi ◽  
Sajid Khan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Women's Education ◽  
Enterprise Resource Planning ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Educational Environment ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Planning System ◽  
Female Population ◽  
Remote Areas ◽  
Cloud Management

This research provides an approach to exploring a suitable enterprise resource planning system using cloud management architecture for the educational environment. It enables enterprises to get into the competition. Enterprise resource planning for educational firms provides an approach to address the targeted female population. To achieve this goal, a system has been established that has an infrastructure basis on governments, nongovernment organizations (NGOs), universities, and other social service providers. This paper helps to present the architecture of cloud computing for the overall educational environment concerns around the world. This research aims to contribute to women’s education with respect to modern technology. It ensures that technology is cost-efficiently available for women’s education in view of the availability and consistency of the system and in accordance with goals. An architecture is proposed to solve and take over the limitations that have been faced and are the reasons for the failure of the available systems. After designing the architecture, a survey questionnaire was designed and conducted with students and professionals of Air University, Bahria University, and Preston University.

scholarly journals Scenario-Based Analysis of IT Enterprises Servitization as a Part of Digital Transformation of Modern Economy

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Kryvinska ◽  
Lukas Bickel
Keyword(s):  
Enterprise Resource Planning ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Continuous Process ◽  
Resource Planning ◽  
Business Success ◽  
It Industry ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Major Player ◽  
Short Time ◽  
It Enterprises

The transition towards Servitization in the IT Business is extremely challenging because IT Enterprises must transform partly or entirely from hardware manufacturers into service providers. Moreover, Servitization does not occur all at once; it is a long and continuous process. Thus, in order to succeed, a company must determine which phase of this process it is in within a short time period, due to the dynamic competition in the modern IT Business. An examination of such a transition is crucial for accurate enterprise resource planning and for business success in general. Accordingly, to gain a better understanding of this process/transition in the IT industry, five major players were analyzed. We provide a foundation of the definitions and concepts regarding Servitization. Based on this foundation, every major player is analyzed by business segment. Then, those business segments are broken down into the offerings delivered to the customers. Depending on the offering, an analysis of the revenue is performed. In addition, we discuss the challenges and their effects on every company, and then we examine the similarities and differences in the process. We conclude with a brief statement of our primary achievements, and possible future investigation directions/topics are suggested.

scholarly journals Improving Energy Efficiency in a Synchronized Road-Transportation System by Using a TFMC (Transportation Fleet-Management Control) in Finland

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 670 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teijo Palander ◽  
Kalle Kärhä
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
High Capacity ◽  
Transportation System ◽  
Management Control ◽  
Vehicle Group ◽  
Fleet Management ◽  
Forest Industry ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Road Transportation ◽  
Wood Procurement

Previous studies have suggested that the use of high-capacity transportation (HCT) can lead to low-carbon road-transportation in the forest industry. This study shows the impacts (in terms of energy efficiency) of a three-year adaptation process of transportation (2014–2016) towards HCT that took place in a synchronized transportation system (STS). The use of three transportation fleet-management control (TFMC) methods was analyzed in various road infrastructures. Energy-efficiency calculations were undertaken based on the HCT vehicles’ mass limits (64, 68 and 76 t). The use of 76 t vehicles increased energy efficiency by 13.4% and reduced CO2 emissions by 3.5% (to 49.6 g/tkm). In addition, the results show that the energy efficiency of the STS could be improved by a further 3.1%. In this respect, the proposed TFMC was used to adjust the STS towards vehicle-group transportation while meeting the road-class constraints of local wood supply chains. Forest-industry companies in Finland and abroad can use the tailored TFMC to optimize the STS in the near future and to achieve the energy-efficient STS and the regulations of the European Commission in wood-procurement logistics.

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