Simulation of Green Supply Chain Design With Renewable Energy and Green Technology for Intensifying Sustainability After COVID-19

Introduction

Technologies and energy play crucial roles in ensuring the overall effectiveness of global supply chains. These two factors notably influence all stages of international and domestic supply chains. In the conventional supply chain, procurement of raw materials, manufacturing processes, warehousing, and distribution activities have been generating immense environmental emissions. A recent study emphasized that the conventional supply chain mechanism causes significant high-risk emissions, which have deleterious effects on ecological components (Ju et al., 2024). However, many firms still adhere to conventional supply chain practices for financial gains or due to uncertainty regarding the expenses of green initiatives, rather than considering the imperative for environmental sustainability (Bhattacharjee et al., 2024). Both direct emissions, such as the use of raw materials containing minacious substances and the discharge of hazardous gases without purification from manufacturing plants, and indirect emissions such as coal or nuclear power sourced electricity, can vastly damage ecosystems. These emissions serve as high-risk indicators for environmental degradation. Figure 1 illustrates both direct and indirect carbon emissions caused by supply chains. According to the figure, an increase in energy demand within the supply chain results in a rise in electricity generation sourced from coal or nuclear power. Consequently, this amplifies the volume of wastewater containing radioactive tritium from nuclear power plants.

Figure 1.

Direct and indirect emissions from conventional supply chains. Source: Author’s elaboration.

The release of radioactive wastewater from nuclear-based electricity generation plants poses accelerated threats to ecological components (Jan et al., 2024). Furthermore, while releasing the sewage from nuclear plants after treatment could minimize the direct threat, it would still be considered menacing water because components such as radioactive tritium cannot be completely removed from the water (Bhattacharjee & Ghosh, 2024). These dangerous chemical substances are highly detrimental to society and environmental harmony (see Figure 1).

In the conventional supply chain perspective, a previous study mentioned that the interrelated risk factors throughout supply chains have been rapidly growing (Bai et al., 2024). Any increase in the demand for commercial energy causes an increase in nuclear power plants or coal energy plants. The rapid expansion of these types of power generation systems will enormously accelerate high-risk emissions (Sun & Zhong, 2023) that may not be stopped by any other means except through limited minimization in the future. If the storage space for radioactive tritium wastewater runs out, it becomes necessary to release these substances from the nuclear plants. Here, the question arises: where to release nuclear plant wastewater? There are only two options: releasing it into the ocean or onto the earth's ground, but both ways would be harmful to living organisms and the environment. However, it is clear that both direct and indirect emission sources associated with conventional supply chains pose threats to environmental safety and sustainable economic development (Chen et al., 2024).

Hence, firms around the world should begin adopting eco-friendly technologies and energy systems throughout the supply chain to ensure a safe and healthy green earth. Such practices greatly support global zero-emission targets and economic sustainability. Therefore, renewable energy and green technological transformations throughout supply chains are unavoidably essential for future economic and environmental sustainability (Ju et al., 2024).