Abstract
We study how renewable energy impacts regional infrastructures considering the full deployment of electric mobility at that scale. We use the Sardinia Island in Italy as a paradigmatic case study of a semi-closed system both by energy and mobility point of view. Human mobility patterns are estimated by means of census data listing the mobility dynamics of about 700,000 vehicles, the energy demand is estimated by modeling the charging behavior of electric vehicle owners. Here we show that current renewable energy production of Sardinia is able to sustain the commuter mobility even in the theoretical case of a full switch from internal combustion vehicles to electric ones. Centrality measures from network theory on the reconstructed network of commuter trips allows to identify the most important areas (hubs) involved in regional mobility. The analysis of the expected energy flows reveals long-range effects on infrastructures outside metropolitan areas and points out that the most relevant unbalances are caused by spatial segregation between production and consumption areas. Finally, results suggest the adoption of planning actions supporting the installation of renewable energy plants in areas mostly involved by the commuting mobility, avoiding spatial segregation between consumption and generation areas.
Highlights
We study how renewable energy impacts regional infrastructures considering the full deployment of electric mobility at that scale
Such distribution of high degree nodes has a relevant impact on the eigenvector centrality, and is reflected in the high energy flows, as we will show later
The same effect does not stand for betweenness centrality, that put in better evidence the municipalities located in the central and northern areas, leading to a more accurate identification of the central nodes
Summary
We study how renewable energy impacts regional infrastructures considering the full deployment of electric mobility at that scale. We show that current renewable energy production of Sardinia is able to sustain the commuter mobility even in the theoretical case of a full switch from internal combustion vehicles to electric ones. Environmentally friendly fuels and power trains are a key strategy for heading towards sustainable transport systems, and, together with Electric Vehicles (EV), renewable energy sources are considered a further winning strategy to reduce the GHG emissions from cities. As the number of EV is expected to increase, given the potential high number of vehicles involved, a reliable planning and control of the charging infrastructure will be fundamental for its successful integration in the power system. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to A.F.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
