Application of integrated resource planning to transport
Integrated Resource Planning (IRP) is an approach to decision-making that first emerged in the electricity sector and has since been applied in other sectors, including the water sector. In the electricity and water sectors, it allows options that supply electricity or water, and options that reduce the demand for electricity and water, to be compared using a common metric, such as $/MW or $/ML. The approach ensures that the lowest cost option is chosen, whether it involves building a new power station or undertaking a city-wide energy efficiency program. IRP would seem to have the potential to improve decision-making in the transport sector by ensuring that all options for meeting a need, which might be defined as access, are treated equally. This project would examine the feasibility of using IRP in the transport sector and develop a suitable method.
For further information about this topic contact Dr Michelle Zeibots
