Analyzing the transportation impacts of increased coal haulage: Two case studies: Fid-Bau Portal

Analyzing the transportation impacts of increased coal haulage: Two case studies

Friesz, Terry L. / Gottfried, Joel / Tobin, Roger L.

AbstractBecause of the Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act of 1978 (FUA) and other supporting legislation, one of the goals of U.S. national energy policy has been significantly increased coal utilization. How this increased usage will impact the U.S. freight transportation system is a matter of concern to carriers, coal shippers of other commodities, and federal, state, and local governments. This paper reports a methodology and results of studies that analyze these impacts through the use of a freight network equilibrium model (FNEM). The model is the first to explicitly represent both sets of primary decision makers in freight transportation, namely the carriers and the shippers of freight. The model is described, and model results for two case studies are presented. In the first, the cumulative transportation impacts of switching 42 power plants in the northeastern United States from oil or natural gas to coal are studied. The second is a similar study of conversion to coal of 14 powerplants in Florida. Results include coal source identification, coal source to powerplant routings, congestion levels, and rate estimates.