Intermodal network design for freight transportation in Belgium - location of rail/road and road/inland waterway terminals

Conference (2013, February 07)

In the recent years, growing concerns about environmental, societal and economic issues have emerged in the society. The improvement and the expansion of the multimodal network is one way of solving those ... [more ▼]

In the recent years, growing concerns about environmental, societal and economic issues have emerged in the society. The improvement and the expansion of the multimodal network is one way of solving those kinds of problems. The objective of this work is therefore the integration of inland waterway, rail and road transport into the linear modeling of intermodal terminal location problems, based on transportation costs functions which are nonlinear with the distance traveled. The model should also take into account the capacity constraints linked to the different modes of transport. [less ▲]

The economic and environmental feasibility of biogas buses in Liege

E-print/Working paper (2012)

Every day, many of the students at the University of Liege have to drive to the Sart-Tilman village in order to attend their courses. These movements require many journeys that are responsible for the ... [more ▼]

Every day, many of the students at the University of Liege have to drive to the Sart-Tilman village in order to attend their courses. These movements require many journeys that are responsible for the emission of harmful particles which have a negative impact on climate or human health. The objective of this paper is therefore to analyze the economic and environmental feasibility of using biogas buses for public transport in Liege. The idea of implementing biogas buses is based on the proposed recycling of organic waste by the company INTRADEL, which manages and treats waste in the region. The project is also in line with the willingness of the city of Liege to demonstrate its commitment to environmental issues. The advantages and disadvantages of biogas buses are developed and compared with those of the current diesel bus fleet of the city. The main conclusion of this study is that, while internalizing external costs due to pollution, the use of biogas buses becomes an attractive option compared with classical diesel buses. Nevertheless, it requires investment and might lead to resistance to change. However, it remains a good solution for the reduction of CO2 emissions that are responsible for the greenhouse effect caused by human beings. It is also a good opportunity to market the city, especially within the framework of the application to host the International Exhibition in 2017. [less ▲]