Environmental and economic impacts of drone-assisted truck delivery under the carbon market price. (15th May 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Meng, Zhiyi; Zhou, Yuting; Li, Eldon Y.; Peng, Xinying; Qiu, Rui
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 401(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-05-15
• Subjects: Carbon emissions -- Drone delivery -- Carbon market -- Sustainability -- Environmental impact -- Economic impact; Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.136758
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: Logistics delivery companies today are under high pressure from the carbon market. As an emerging commercial delivery tool, the drone has the advantages of low carbon emissions and cost. This study proposes an innovative dual-objective mixed-integer linear programming model to explore the environmental and economic impacts of drone-assisted truck delivery under the carbon market price. It uses JD.com in China as a case study to explore the company's benefits of adopting drone-assisted delivery. The results show that compared to traditional truck delivery, drone-assisted delivery reduced carbon emissions by 24.90%, reduced total cost by 22.13%, and shortened delivery time by 20.65%. In addition, the effects of some key elements on the total cost and carbon emissions are compared. The analysis shows that drone battery cycle life, fuel price, driver's wage, truck speed, and drone speed are vital for drone-assisted truck delivery. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Drone-assisted delivery's environmental and economic impacts under a carbon market are analyzed. The drone's delivery cost is calculated by energy consumption and carbon emission costs. The model includes drone and truck speed, battery cycle life, driver wage, fuel and carbon prices. The result finds battery cycle life, fuel price, driver wage, and truck speed to be the key factors. Drone-assisted truck delivery reduces carbon emissions, the total cost, and the delivery time.