Renewable energies and elimination of fossil fuels are the main road map to save the climate and the planet!
The urbanization process will bring about 2,5 billion people to live in cities by 2050. Energy and mobility are the two pillars of these transformations, and they will require radical adaptation to cope with demographic and economic growth without increasing traffic and pollution.
The Fourth Industrial Revolution offers an unprecedented opportunity: it can also be a transport and climate revolution! Let’s see how:
- the electric vehicles are becoming more accessible, and they will cover almost one third of new car sales by the end of the next decade;
- the collective vehicles, that make possible to share travel, are increasing: by 2030 they will represent more than 25% of all kilometers traveled globally, compared to 4% today;
- the self-driving vehicles, that will allow an lower cost per kilometer compared to motor vehicles for personal use;
- the global evolution of energy systems, which are becoming cleaner and more decentralized, with energy generated, stored and distributed closer to final customers.
Electric mobility is a mean to improve air quality and achieve climate goals, but it is rarely integrated into a global vision of the smart city concept. Electric vehicles continue to be associated with traditional ownership and use. Charging stations are too limited.
Any electric mobility project should be adapted to three main elements: local infrastructure; energy system; culture of mobility. We need a new model for cities that givs priority to high-use electric vehicles, typically taxis and public transportation. They have always had a strong impact on carbon emissions. The development of public electric vehicles fleets should be a must.
With regard to the recharging infrastructure, this should be developed along the highways, at the destination points and close to the public transportation hubs. That will really make possible the use of electric vehicles.
Mobility and energy systems will help each other: electric vehicles can be used as decentralized energy resources and provide with new storage capacities and electricity supply. Cars can work as “wheeled batteries“. In the outskirts of Berlin, electric vehicle charging stations are integrated into the local micro-grid with solar and wind power generation.
We have skills and technology to build a system where electricity is supplied, stored and intelligently delivered.
The energy sector needs to boost the process of a cleaner, more digitized and more connected system. The mobility sector needs to furtherly innovate new sharing models, as well as new uses of electric vehicles as decentralized energy resources. The companies have the ability to drive these changes in cities, while the politics have the power to promote innovation through new rules.
To plan a better future!
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