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Short-term scheduling optimization of battery electric buses in the context of sustainable energy resources under uncertainty

05 May 2025 @ 12:00 AM

Detailed Description of the Article and Journal: This research article, titled "Short-term scheduling optimization of battery electric buses in the context of sustainable energy resources under uncertainty", was published in the International Journal of Electrical Power and Energy Systems (IJEPE), an internationally recognized, peer-reviewed journal published by Elsevier. IJEPE focuses on the generation, transmission, distribution, and utilization of electrical energy and electrical power systems, covering both theoretical developments and practical implementations. It serves as a premier platform for innovative research on smart grids, renewable energy integration, system planning, optimization, and reliability analysis.

About the Paper: The paper addresses a timely and critical challenge: how to optimize the daily scheduling of Battery Electric Buses (BEBs) in urban transit systems while accounting for energy price volatility, renewable energy availability, and operational constraints. It presents a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model enhanced by robust optimization techniques (box and polyhedral uncertainty sets) to handle uncertain electricity pricing scenarios. By integrating Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) and Grid-to-Vehicle (G2V) transactions and treating charging stations as microgrids, the model not only aims to maximize profitability for transport companies but also ensures energy reliability and sustainability.

To tackle computational challenges, the paper employs two metaheuristic algorithms—Genetic Algorithm (GA) and Artificial Bee Colony (ABC)—and benchmarks them against exact solutions obtained from the Gurobi solver. A rolling horizon strategy further enhances real-time decision-making. The robust counterpart formulation demonstrates that the model can retain up to 90% of deterministic profits under uncertainty, offering practical insights for urban transit operators seeking resilience against electricity market fluctuations.

About the Journal: International Journal of Electrical Power and Energy Systems.

Publisher: Elsevier

Impact Factor: ~5.0 (as of 2024, varies annually)

Scope:
  • Power system operation and planning
  • Electricity markets and policy
  • Smart grid technologies
  • Energy management and optimization
  • Renewable energy integration
  • Electric transportation systems
The journal is indexed in leading databases including Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore, and is widely read by researchers, engineers, and policymakers involved in electrical power systems and sustainable energy.
Significance

Publishing in IJEPE signifies that the work meets high standards of scientific rigor and real-world relevance. The article by Muhammad Ahmad Iqbal and Ismail I. Almaraj contributes valuable advancements in the area of smart mobility and energy-aware transit systems, combining operational research, energy systems engineering, and sustainability.