Selecting Suppliers for Biomass Supply Networks with an IFS - Multi Periodic Optimization Method.

The biomass supplier selection problem is characterized by a high degree of uncertainty because of subjective preferences/evaluations of decision makers, raw material cost fluctuations, variations in biomass seasonality and the dynamics of biomass demand. Designing a biomass supply chain often becomes a time-dependent problem that should be addressed by examining adequate supply schemes in different periods of time. This paper suggests the effectiveness of a multi-criteria decision making approach for systematically assessing uncertain biomass supplier profiles based on Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets (IFS) in conjunction with a multi-periodic optimization framework for selecting the best biomass supply mix at a maximum total purchasing value [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]