A hybrid method for evaluating biomass suppliers - Use of intuitionistic fuzzy sets and multi-periodic optimization

Abstract

Evaluation of biomass suppliers is a time-dependent problem that requires assessment of different supply schemes in different periods. This paper presents a hybrid method for evaluating biomass suppliers that combines Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets (IFS), linear programming (LP) and multi-periodic optimization (MPO). IFS allow evaluators to express their hesitation when they assess alternative suppliers. LP is used to estimate weights of evaluation criteria and calculate suppliers' ratings in a specific period. These ratings are utilized by a MPO model to determine what type and how much feedstock should be supplied by each supplier in each period. © 2012 IFIP International Federation for Information Processing.