IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/tefoso/v210y2025ics0040162524006590.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Toward sustainable operations: Integrating utility management into short-term scheduling in the phosphate industry

Author

Listed:
  • El Atchi, Salma
  • Azzamouri, Ahlam
  • Gautier, Frédéric

Abstract

This study presents an enhanced short-term scheduling model for supply chains, emphasizing sustainability through the integration of key utilities, which we define as steam, energy, and water. However, in the current phase of our research, we specifically concentrate on steam as a primary utility due to its critical role in the phosphate industry, particularly within the operations of the OCP Group, a leader in phosphate extraction and fertilizer production. By employing a simulation model that integrates steam, we aim to align daily operational decisions with broader sustainability objectives, establishing a foundation for the eventual inclusion of the other defined utilities. This study employs a comparative analysis of a traditional scheduling model and an innovative utility-based model. By simulating real-world operational scenarios, this research demonstrates how the utility-based model substantially improves resource utilization and reduces operational downtime compared with conventional practices. The findings reveal that integrating steam into scheduling not only supports the OCP Group's immediate operational goals but also aligns with broader sustainability objectives by minimizing resource waste and enhancing efficiency. These results underscore the critical role of utility management in supply chain scheduling and its potential to contribute to the industry's long-term sustainability efforts.

Suggested Citation

  • El Atchi, Salma & Azzamouri, Ahlam & Gautier, Frédéric, 2025. "Toward sustainable operations: Integrating utility management into short-term scheduling in the phosphate industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:210:y:2025:i:c:s0040162524006590
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123861
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162524006590
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123861?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tsan-Ming Choi & T. C. E. Cheng & Xiande Zhao & Tsan-Ming Choi & T. C. E. Cheng & Xiande Zhao, 2016. "Multi-Methodological Research in Operations Management," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 25(3), pages 379-389, March.
    2. Smirnov, Dina & van Jaarsveld, Willem & Atan, Zümbül & de Kok, Ton, 2021. "Long-term resource planning in the high-tech industry: Capacity or inventory?," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 293(3), pages 926-940.
    3. Saeid Rezaei & Amirsaman Kheirkhah, 2018. "A comprehensive approach in designing a sustainable closed-loop supply chain network using cross-docking operations," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 51-98, March.
    4. Nouri, Narjes & Balali, Farhad & Nasiri, Adel & Seifoddini, Hamid & Otieno, Wilkistar, 2019. "Water withdrawal and consumption reduction for electrical energy generation systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C), pages 196-206.
    5. Wang, Saige & Fath, Brian & Chen, Bin, 2019. "Energy–water nexus under energy mix scenarios using input–output and ecological network analyses," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233, pages 827-839.
    6. Biel, K. & Glock, C. H., 2016. "Systematic literature review of decision support models for energy-efficient production planning," Publications of Darmstadt Technical University, Institute for Business Studies (BWL) 83071, Darmstadt Technical University, Department of Business Administration, Economics and Law, Institute for Business Studies (BWL).
    7. Dmitry Ivanov & Alexandre Dolgui & Boris Sokolov & Frank Werner & Marina Ivanova, 2016. "A dynamic model and an algorithm for short-term supply chain scheduling in the smart factory industry 4.0," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(2), pages 386-402, January.
    8. Ngai, E.W.T. & To, Chester K.M. & Ching, Vincent S.M. & Chan, L.K. & Lee, Maggie C.M. & Choi, Y.S. & Chai, P.Y.F., 2012. "Development of the conceptual model of energy and utility management in textile processing: A soft systems approach," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 135(2), pages 607-617.
    9. Arabi, Behrouz & Munisamy, Susila & Emrouznejad, Ali & Toloo, Mehdi & Ghazizadeh, Mohammad Sadegh, 2016. "Eco-efficiency considering the issue of heterogeneity among power plants," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 722-735.
    10. Agha, Mujtaba H. & Thery, Raphaele & Hetreux, Gilles & Hait, Alain & Le Lann, Jean Marc, 2010. "Integrated production and utility system approach for optimizing industrial unit operations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 35(2), pages 611-627.
    11. Bouchard, M. & D’Amours, S. & Rönnqvist, M. & Azouzi, R. & Gunn, E., 2017. "Integrated optimization of strategic and tactical planning decisions in forestry," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 259(3), pages 1132-1143.
    12. Ngai, E.W.T & Chau, D.C.K. & Poon, J.K.L. & To, C.K.M., 2013. "Energy and utility management maturity model for sustainable manufacturing process," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 146(2), pages 453-464.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ivanov, Dmitry & Dolgui, Alexandre & Sokolov, Boris, 2022. "Cloud supply chain: Integrating Industry 4.0 and digital platforms in the “Supply Chain-as-a-Service”," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    2. Suo, C. & Li, Y.P. & Mei, H. & Lv, J. & Sun, J. & Nie, S., 2021. "Towards sustainability for China's energy system through developing an energy-climate-water nexus model," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    3. Sony, Michael & Naik, Subhash, 2020. "Industry 4.0 integration with socio-technical systems theory: A systematic review and proposed theoretical model," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    4. S.R. Patterson & E. Kozan & P. Hyland, 2016. "An integrated model of an open-pit coal mine: improving energy efficiency decisions," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(14), pages 4213-4227, July.
    5. Toshiyuki Sueyoshi & Ruchuan Zhang & Aijun Li, 2023. "Measuring and Analyzing Operational Efficiency and Returns to Scale in a Time Horizon: Assessment of China’s Electricity Generation & Transmission at Provincial Levels," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-23, January.
    6. Kuang-Sheng Liu & Ming-Hung Lin, 2021. "Performance Assessment on the Application of Artificial Intelligence to Sustainable Supply Chain Management in the Construction Material Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-15, November.
    7. Luo, Li & O'Hehir, Jim & Regan, Courtney M. & Meng, Li & Connor, Jeffery D. & Chow, Christopher W.K., 2021. "An integrated strategic and tactical optimization model for forest supply chain planning," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    8. Wang, Yingjia & Choi, Tsan-Ming & Luo, Suyuan, 2024. "Sustainability versus exclusivity in the sharing economy: Should leftover luxury fashion products be destroyed?," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    9. Hajo Terbrack & Thorsten Claus & Frank Herrmann, 2021. "Energy-Oriented Production Planning in Industry: A Systematic Literature Review and Classification Scheme," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-32, December.
    10. Zhang, Abraham & Wang, Jason X. & Farooque, Muhammad & Wang, Yulan & Choi, Tsan-Ming, 2021. "Multi-dimensional circular supply chain management: A comparative review of the state-of-the-art practices and research," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    11. Ghorbanzadeh, Masoumeh & Ranjbar, Mohammad, 2023. "Energy-aware production scheduling in the flow shop environment under sequence-dependent setup times, group scheduling and renewable energy constraints," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 307(2), pages 519-537.
    12. Ana Luiza Fontenelle & Erik Nilsson & Ieda Geriberto Hidalgo & Cintia B. Uvo & Drielli Peyerl, 2022. "Temporal Understanding of the Water–Energy Nexus: A Literature Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-21, April.
    13. Rihab Khemiri & Khaoula Elbedoui-Maktouf & Bernard Grabot & Belhassen Zouari, 2017. "A fuzzy multi-criteria decision making approach for managing performance and risk in integrated procurement-production planning," Post-Print hal-01758604, HAL.
    14. Vasja Roblek & Maja Meško & Alojz Krapež, 2016. "A Complex View of Industry 4.0," SAGE Open, , vol. 6(2), pages 21582440166, June.
    15. Nawab, Asim & Liu, Gengyuan & Meng, Fanxin & Hao, Yan & Zhang, Yan, 2019. "Urban energy-water nexus: Spatial and inter-sectoral analysis in a multi-scale economy," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 403(C), pages 44-56.
    16. Suzanne, Elodie & Absi, Nabil & Borodin, Valeria, 2020. "Towards circular economy in production planning: Challenges and opportunities," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 287(1), pages 168-190.
    17. Yuran Jin & Cheng Gao, 2023. "Hybrid Optimization of Green Supply Chain Network and Scheduling in Distributed 3D Printing Intelligent Factory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-20, March.
    18. Golpîra, Hêriş, 2020. "Smart Energy-Aware Manufacturing Plant Scheduling under Uncertainty: A Risk-Based Multi-Objective Robust Optimization Approach," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    19. Zhang, Ning & Zhao, Yu & Wang, Na, 2022. "Is China's energy policy effective for power plants? Evidence from the 12th Five-Year Plan energy saving targets," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    20. Ya-Jun Cai & Yingjia Wang & Juzhi Zhang, 2020. "Enhancing e-platform business by customer service systems: a multi-methodological case study on Ali Wangwang instant message’s impacts on TaoBao," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 291(1), pages 59-81, August.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:210:y:2025:i:c:s0040162524006590. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00401625 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.