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TRB 91st Annual Meeting (January 22-26, 2012)
Event Number:295
Event Title:Current Research in Freight Transportation and Logistics Planning and Operations
Event Date:Jan 23 2012 10:45AM- 12:30PM
Event Location:Shoreham, Blue Room Foyer
Event Description:This session exhibits papers in the general area of freight and logistics planning and operations dealing with efficiency, sustainability, and reliability. It spans topics from urban freight mobility, intermodal transportation, port and marine operations, and freight demand modeling to location problems of alternative energy production.
Event Agenda:

Modeling Trucking Flows of Switchgrass Feedstock to Biorefinery and Accompanying Impact on Regional Economy: Case Study of Tennessee (12-3957)
    
This study evaluated optimal plant gate costs for two conventional hay harvest technologies that could be used for harvesting and storing switchgrass feedstock for a potential 189.25 kl year−1 ethanol biorefinery in East Tennessee. Applying a spatially-oriented mixed-integer mathematical programming model and a GIS resource model to estimate the least plant gate cost of the two harvest and logistics systems, results indicate the large square bale system had a lower plant gate cost when compared with the large round bale system, primarily due to the saving in transportation costs with the square bale system. The estimated truck flows of switchgrass feedstock on the road network by month were also estimated and mapped. Moreover, the accompanying economic impact of the expenditures on the switchgrass feedstock transportation was estimated in the analysis. For every dollar spent on switchgrass feedstock transportation in both harvest systems, an estimated $0.71 in economic activity would be created in the study region. Thus, a total $21.6 million and $16.9 million were expected to be generated in total industrial output for the round bale and square bale systems, respectively.

Authors
     Yu, Tun-Hsiang Edward, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
     Gao, Yuan , International Food Policy Research Institute
     Larson, James A., University of Tennessee, Knoxville
     English, Burton C., University of Tennessee, Knoxville
     Wilson, Bradly , University of Tennessee, Knoxville
     Menard, Robert J., University of Tennessee - Knoxville


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