Open Access
Locating a biorefinery in Northern Spain: decision making and economic consequences
(Elsevier, 2019) Serrano Hernández, Adrián; Faulín Fajardo, Javier; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua, IIM14196.RI1
Biofuels are emerging as a prominent renewable and sustainable energy sources in developed countries. In this sense, this paper presents a case study in which a biorefinery has to be sited in Northern Spain. Thus, the strategic decision of locating such a facility is deeply investigated through strategic policy evaluation. Then, tactical decisions ranging from purchasing and transportation policies to storage protocols are carried out. Only local and limited biomass can be harvested for supplying the biorefinery through a heterogeneous vehicle fleet. Moreover two different and mutually exclusive storage strategies are evaluated: direct supply from crops to biorefinery and using intermediate-collectors. Additionally, crop exploitation factors and biorefinery sizes are used to generate several scenarios in which the strategic decision of location as well as all the tactic decisions are made. Some mixed integer linear programming models are proposed to figure out all relevant decision problems. The results suggest that the Northwest study area as the best option to locate the biorefinery and recommend the intermediate-collector storage strategy. Moreover, the key information about critical biomass, crops and times are also provided.
Open Access
An extended behavior model for explaining the willingness to pay to reduce the air pollution in road transportation
(Elsevier, 2021) Sánchez García, Mercedes; Zouaghi, Ferdaous; Lera López, Fernando; Faulín Fajardo, Javier; Enpresen Kudeaketa; Ekonomia; Estatistika, Informatika eta Matematika; Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Gestión de Empresas; Economía; Estadística, Informática y Matemáticas
Road transportation constitutes a key sector in developed countries, as an essential catalyst for economic and social activities. Nevertheless, it is relevant to emphasize the negative impacts of this activity identified in Economics as negative externalities. At the European Union, road transportation is the main cause of the air pollution impact on the population. Thus, this study explores the factors that influence the willingness to pay (WTP) on behalf of the citizens to reduce air pollution generated by road transport. In doing so, we propose two fundamental theoretical frameworks to explain individual behavior towards the environment actions: the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) models. A questionnaire survey with 1,612 residents was used to collect data in 65 localities located in the Spanish Pyrenees and performing a statistical analysis with the resulting data relied on application of Structural Equation Models (SEM). Moreover, the survey results highlight the importance of psychological aspects as predictors of proenvironmental behaviors. Our empirical results provide a novel contribution about how governments and educational policies can enhance the positive attitude towards environmental actions, unifying the struggle in favor of environmental protection from early childhood.
Open Access
Optimizing energy consumption in transportation: literature review, insights, and research opportunities
(MDPI, 2020) Corlu, Canan Gunes; Torre Martínez, Rocío de la; Serrano Hernández, Adrián; Juan Pérez, Ángel Alejandro; Faulín Fajardo, Javier; Institute for Advanced Research in Business and Economics - INARBE; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC
From airplanes to electric vehicles and trains, modern transportation systems require large quantities of energy. These vast amounts of energy have to be produced somewhere—ideally by using sustainable sources—and then brought to the transportation system. Energy is a scarce and costly resource, which cannot always be produced from renewable sources. Therefore, it is critical to consume energy as efficiently as possible, that is, transportation activities need to be carried out with an optimal intake of energetic means. This paper reviews existing work on the optimization of energy consumption in the area of transportation, including road freight, passenger rail, maritime, and air transportation modes. The paper also analyzes how optimization methods—of both exact and approximate nature—have been used to deal with these energy-optimization problems. Finally, it provides insights and discusses open research opportunities regarding the use of new intelligent algorithms—combining metaheuristics with simulation and machine learning—to improve the efficiency of energy consumption in transportation.
Open Access
Situación actual y prospectiva de futuro del sector de las energías renovables en Navarra
(Gobierno de Navarra, Departamento de Economía y Hacienda, 2003) Pintor Borobia, Jesús María; García Ortega, Justo; Faulín Fajardo, Javier; Lera López, Fernando; Ingeniería Mecánica, Energética y de Materiales; Estadística e Investigación Operativa; Economía; Mekanika, Energetika eta Materialen Ingeniaritza; Estatistika eta Ikerketa Operatiboa; Ekonomia
Razones económicas y medioambientales han hecho que la búsqueda de nuevas formas de energía se haya intensificado en los últimos años, desarrollándose distintos tipos de energías renovables. En el caso de la Unión Europea, se ha realizado una apuesta por este tipo de energías, produciéndose una especialización por países. La Comunidad Foral de Navarra es un claro ejemplo de esta sensibilidad, que le ha llevado a convertirse en un modelo de desarrollo. El presente trabajo recoge la situación actual de las energías renovables en la región, analizándolas desde el punto de vista de las empresas que realizan su actividad en este ámbito. Para ello, se ha determinado el conjunto de empresas que constituyen en Navarra el sector de las energías renovables, para a continuación proceder a analizarlo mediante una investigación de mercados. De este modo, se ha puesto de manifiesto las interrelaciones entre una política energética regional y la creación y desarrollo de un sector empresarial dinámico, competitivo y en crecimiento. El trabajo ofrece también una prospectiva de la situación para el período 2002-2005, contrastando los resultados obtenidos con distintos estudios nacionales y europeos.
Open Access
Multi-criteria optimization for fleet size with environmental aspects
(Elsevier, 2017) Sawik, Bartosz; Faulín Fajardo, Javier; Pérez Bernabeu, Elena; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC
This research concerns multi-criteria vehicle routing problems. Mathematical models are formulated with mixed-integer programming. We consider maximization of capacity of truck vs. minimization of utilization of fuel, carbon emission and production of noise. The problems deal with green logistics for routes crossing the Western Pyrenees in Navarre, Basque Country and La Rioja, Spain.We consider heterogeneous fleet of trucks. Different types of trucks have not only different capacities, but also require different amounts of fuel for operations. Consequently, the amount of carbon emission and noise vary as well. Companies planningdelivery routes must consider the trade-off between the financial and environmental aspects of transportation. Efficiency of delivery routes is impacted by truck size and the possibility of dividing long delivery routes into smaller ones. The results of computational experiments modeled after real data from a Spanish food distribution company are reported. Computational results based on formulated optimization models show some balance between fleet size, truck types, utilization of fuel, carbon emission and production of noise. As a result, the company could consider a mixture of trucks sizes and divided routes for smaller trucks. Analyses of obtained results could help logistics managers lead the initiative in environmental conservation by saving fuel and consequently minimizing pollution.
Open Access
Simheuristics: an introductory tutorial
(IEEE, 2022) Juan, Ángel A.; Li, Yuda; Ammouriova, Majsa; Panadero, Javier; Faulín Fajardo, Javier; Estadística, Informática y Matemáticas; Estatistika, Informatika eta Matematika; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC
Both manufacturing and service industries are subject to uncertainty. Probability techniques and simulation methods allow us to model and analyze complex systems in which stochastic uncertainty is present. When the goal is to optimize the performance of these stochastic systems, simulation by itself is not enough and it needs to be hybridized with optimization methods. Since many real-life optimization problems in the aforementioned industries are NP-hard and large scale, metaheuristic optimization algorithms are required. The simheuristics concept refers to the hybridization of simulation methods and metaheuristic algorithms. This paper provides an introductory tutorial to the concept of simheuristics, showing how it has been successfully employed in solving stochastic optimization problems in many application fields, from production logistics and transportation to telecommunication and insurance. Current research trends in the area of simheuristics, such as their combination with fuzzy logic techniques and machine learning methods, are also discussed.
Open Access
A simheuristic for routing electric vehicles with limited driving ranges and stochastic travel times
(Institut d'Estadistica de Catalunya (Idescat), 2019) Reyes-Rubiano, Lorena Silvana; Ferone, Daniele; Juan Pérez, Ángel Alejandro; Faulín Fajardo, Javier; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa
Green transportation is becoming relevant in the context of smart cities, where the use of electric vehicles represents a promising strategy to support sustainability policies. However the use of electric vehicles shows some drawbacks as well, such as their limited driving-range capacity. This paper analyses a realistic vehicle routing problem in which both driving-range constraints and stochastic travel times are considered. Thus, the main goal is to minimize the expected time-based cost required to complete the freight distribution plan. In order to design reliable routing plans, a simheuristic algorithm is proposed. It combines Monte Carlo simulation with a multi-start metaheuristic, which also employs biased-randomization techniques. By including simulation, simheuristics extend the capabilities of metaheuristics to deal with stochastic problems. A series of computational experiments are performed to test our solving approach as well as to analyse the effect of uncertainty on the routing plans.
Open Access
Topology effects in drone parcel delivery
(Cal-Tek srl, 2024) Izco Berastegui, Irene; Serrano Hernández, Adrián; Faulín Fajardo, Javier; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa, PJUPNA26-2022
Despite the positive sustainability prospects of drones, their flight range is compromised due to their limited battery capacity and the payload of delivered parcels. An alternative to address this challenge is the placement of charging stations where drone batteries are recharged to expand their flying range. The aim of this work is determining the number and location of drone charging stations for topology-dependent scenarios: rural areas and densely populated urban areas. To the best of the researchers' knowledge, there is currently no existing study in the literature that specifically investigates the impacts of topology on drone-assisted delivery. This study focuses on designing drone assignment strategies through optimization-simulation, aiming at minimizing charging station installation costs and operational costs and as a novelty, drone battery consumption is considered in the model design. Drone delivery order instances with different sizes and spatial distributions are generated to simulate realistic scenarios of demand and evaluate the optimization model to allocate the customer demands to stations and dimensioning drones fleet. Results show that considering parcel weight and flight distance has a significant impact on the performance of drone allocation to stations and highlight the effects of topology in the implementation of a drone-assisted delivery network.
Open Access
Using modelling techniques to analyze urban freight distribution. A case study in Pamplona (Spain)
(Elsevier, 2018) Alvarez Indave, Pablo; Serrano Hernández, Adrián; Faulín Fajardo, Javier; Juan Pérez, Ángel Alejandro; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC
The city of Pamplona, in Spain, is currently experiencing several changes regarding sustainable mobility such as pedestrianization of some streets in the city center, and access control to the Old Town for motor vehicles through the use of automatic number-plate recognition. However, some groups including local neighbors and businesses are raising complaints as they are being affected by these measures. This is also the case for couriers and logistics companies which have now to comply with new regulations regarding delivery routes throughout the Old Town. This paper will present a comprehensive study of the situation that is being carried out, and in which social perceptions and freight traffic patterns in the Old Town of Pamplona are analyzed to understand how urban freight distribution could be improved in the area. For this purpose, we make use of a survey-based research to the stakeholders, i.e. pedestrians, logistics companies, retailers, and authorities of Pamplona. Results highlight pollution derived from transportation, lack of parking spaces as well as invasion of public spaces in the city center as the key issues for improving freight transportation in the Old Town. Finally, placing a distribution center in the Old Town and the promotion of the cycle-logistics are considered as the future of the urban distribution in Pamplona.
Open Access
Exploring crowdshippers' behavior and preferences: intertwining urban distribution and people mobility
(Elsevier, 2025-05-14) García Herrera, Alisson Maurinne; Serrano Hernández, Adrián; Faulín Fajardo, Javier; Estadística, Informática y Matemáticas; Estatistika, Informatika eta Matematika; Institute of Smart Cities - ISC; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Collaborative economy companies in the transport field have been a disruptive force in the urban mobility landscape around the world during the last decade 2010-2020. Crowdshipping has emerged as a collaborative economy option promoting improved utilization of currently underutilized transportation capacity, thereby reducing transportation costs and emissions. This article aims to analyze and synthesize existing research on the impact of the crowdshipper (individuals responsible for collecting and delivering the product) behavior on the system and the factors that drive his or her willingness to participate, to identify best practices and opportunities to enhance business analytics, decision-making, and model efficiency in this emerging area.