Evaluating and Prioritizing Circular Supply Chain Alternatives in the Energy Context with a Holistic Multi-Indicator Decision Support System

Thanh Quang Nguyen, Sonia Longo (), Maurizio Cellura, Le Quyen Luu, Alessandra Bertoli and Letizia Bua
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Thanh Quang Nguyen: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Sonia Longo: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Maurizio Cellura: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Le Quyen Luu: Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 9, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Alessandra Bertoli: ENI SpA, R&D, Via G. Fauser 4, 28100 Novara, Italy
Letizia Bua: ENI SpA, R&D, Via G. Fauser 4, 28100 Novara, Italy

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-32

Abstract: Transitioning to a circular economy is crucial for sustainable energy development; yet, current energy supply chains lack comprehensive assessment tools. This study introduces the Holistic Multi-Indicator Decision Support System (HMI_DSS), an innovative tool grounded in life cycle thinking and advanced multi-criteria decision-making methodologies, including Entropy and PROMETHEE II. The HMI_DSS quantifies and assesses sustainability and circularity in energy systems by employing 49 indicators, with a focus on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions. A case study on the rice straw energy supply chain for biogas production illustrates the tool’s effectiveness, comparing a baseline scenario to an alternative. The results show that the global warming potential (GWP) of the baseline is 122 gCO 2 eq/kWh, while the alternative is 116 gCO 2 eq/kWh. However, the baseline scenario has lower energy consumption (1.72 × 10 7 MJ annually) than the alternative (1.98 × 10 7 MJ). Overall, the alternative outperforms the baseline in terms of sustainability and circularity. The HMI_DSS offers a flexible and robust framework for evaluating trade-offs in energy systems, providing valuable insights for energy companies and researchers in adopting circular economy principles to achieve sustainable development.

Keywords: decision support system; sustainability; circular economy; circularity; life cycle thinking; multi-criteria decision-making (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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