Towards More Sustainable Logistics: A Review on the Integration of Energy Management Systems and Renewable Energy Sources

The logistics sector has come under increasing attention due to its significant environmental impact, especially in warehouse operations, which contribute substantially to energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In response, growing efforts are being directed toward improving energy efficiency and sustainability in logistics. A key enabler of this transition is the energy management system (EMS), a centralized platform that monitors, coordinates, and optimizes the use of multiple energy sources, such as photovoltaic panels or wind turbines, within logistics facilities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent scientific contributions on EMS integration in the presence of renewable energy sources, with a specific focus on warehouse applications. The role of electric vehicles and energy storage systems, such as batteries, is also considered as a means to further reduce carbon emissions and improve green operational performance. The review adopts an operations research perspective, emphasizing mathematical programming and optimization-based approaches applied to the EMS design. Indeed, we further examine in detail several optimization models proposed in influential studies, highlighting how the EMS design can support the effective coordination of energy flows. This analysis aims to fill a gap in the current literature and promote the practical implementation of advanced EMS solutions in sustainable logistics.