Transport Demand Centric Decision Support for Electric Charging Infrastructure Planning and Operations (TRACER)
The wider aim of the TRACER project is to accelerate the electrification of the heavy freight transport industry and the realization of the positive effects thereof by deriving transport electrification scenarios that maximize the benefit and minimize the cost of electrification for all stakeholders.
Summary
Heavy Freight Trucks (HFTs) are responsible for 89% of domestic goods transport in Sweden, which in 2018 approximately corresponded to 41 Gtkm transport work and 3.4 Mt CO2 emissions. The full or partial electrification of this transport work using a combination of public and private stationary charging stations and Electric Road Systems (ERS) powered by a fossil free energy supply mix, and a mix of battery electric vehicles with different ranges is a viable pathway for reaching the emission reduction targets in the road-bound heavy freight transport sector.
Considering the current and future transport demand that is serviced by the transport logistic operations (transport routes and schedules), the placement and dimensioning of charging stations and electric road segments and their energy supply, and the costs and transport capacity and range limitations of different types of electric HFTs, the “design space” of electric charging infrastructure planning and operations is enormous. To find a combination of “design parameters” that maximizes the benefit and minimizes the cost of electrification for all stakeholders is essential for the quick realization of the positive effects of electrification in the short to medium / long term, which is estimated to be up to 2.55 / 5.95 Mt CO2 emission reductions by 2030 / 2045 assuming a 50% / 75% increase in- and a 50% / 100% electrification of the transport work.
Results of the RENO pre-study1 indicate that the route-based analysis of the true energy demand of transports in space and time is essential to find design parameters that maximize the benefit and minimize the cost of electrification. In particular, electric charging infrastructure placements (using only ERS) based on route-based analysis can in general electrify 3.25 times as much transport work or require 80% less infrastructure investments as corridor placements. As the rollout of charging infrastructure and adoption of HFTs increase, the smart use of vehicles on infrastructure will become increasingly important to ensure that the expected returns of investments into infrastructure and fleets are materialized.
Approaches will be needed that both ensure the high utilization of charging equipment while enable low-cost and reliable green transport operations. Therefore, the TRACER project, with the involvement of Ellevio (Energy Solutions), PostNord, and the Swedish Transport Administration—three important transport electrification stakeholders a Charging Point Operator (CPO) / Charging Point as a Service (CPaaS) provider, a logistic company (LSP) / fleet operator, and the relevant government agency—aims to provide a comprehensive data-driven decision support that allows the exploration of the design space for electric charging infrastructure planning and operations with the route-based aspects in focus.