______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Case study buses , this set would operate on routes that share a common terminal station . This would allow for a situation where all buses charge at the same station . This clustering of charging activities made it important to consider the interaction between the lines and to investigate the required number of chargers at this station .
This network also offered the opportunity of locally generating renewable energy and using it directly to charge buses . As a result , the possibility of constructing a solar park at the bus station was evaluated . The RSM team did a feasibility study of having a solar park , which would allow for energy generation uncertainties .
Results showed that up to 70 percent of energy for charging could come directly from solar panels during the summer , with the potential for a seven percent increase in renewable energy use through energy storage .
To conclude
Throughout the project , multiple important insights were obtained . For example , it soon became clear that the impact of electrifying RET ’ s bus network required major changes to their operations . In Phase 1 the impact of delays meant that even conservative charge strategies cannot prevent buses from getting into trouble .
Real-time adjustments are therefore essential to handle delays and ensure buses have adequate charge . Also , it was found that hub-based charging networks were ideal for local renewable energy usage .
The collaboration between RSM and RET and the use of operational research has enabled an efficient transition to electric buses . The charging schedule optimization model has shown that RET could do with fewer charging facilities and that significant improvements can be made to the charging schedule .
Using this model RET can control various parameters and compare different charging strategies . The model
has now been integrated into RET ’ s dayto-day planning software , contributing to the successful electrification of Rotterdam ’ s bus fleet .
It has also demonstrated the power of OR to solve complex problems and enable firms to make better decisions to improve how they operate in the real world , including helping firms transition to cleaner energy . ■
For a list of the sources used in this article , please contact the editor .
Seb Hargreaves www . theorsociety . com
Seb Hargreaves is Executive Director of The OR Society . OR is a scientific approach to the solution of problems in the management of complex systems that enables decision makers to make better decisions . The OR Society is a member-led organization , supporting professional operational researchers across industries and academia . It promotes the understanding and use of operational research in all areas of life , including industry , business , government , health and education . The society is a registered charity , helping OR specialists push the boundaries of the discipline through publications and events as well as undertaking outreach work .
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