What essential development regulations will come from the EU? And how does it impact the different transportation sectors?
There are ongoing negotiations between Parliament, the Commission and the Council about the forced expansion of charging infrastructure and hydrogen filling stations along state roads, also known as TEN-T roads. The regulation is called AFIR (Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulation) and is part of an EU CO2 emissions policy package known as Fit for 55. The goal of Fit for 55 is to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030 in EU member countries. This includes all emissions, and within Fit for 55, the specific initiative for the transport sector is called AFIR. AFIR will develop alternative fuels along TEN-T and European roads and expand public fast-charging and hydrogen networks.
And what about the grid?
Electrification of the transport sector in 2045 will not be the primary issue, adding 35 TWh to the grid. 10% of total electrical energy production. 1 TWh is one trillion watt-hours. While the electric transformation will impact the grid, it will not be as significant as the industry desires. The power and energy requirement for charging is not a serious issue caused by the transport sector. The challenges for the transport sector include long delivery times of vehicles and the necessity of power in local grids.
Where are the most extensive battery needs in Sweden’s e-mobility sector: trucks, non-road machines or passenger cars?
Heavy trucks need bigger batteries per vehicle, but from the perspective of the entire transport sector, battery use is relatively low compared to passenger cars. Sweden has about 5 million passenger cars, 600 000 light trucks and 80 000 heavy trucks. Passenger cars need about 8 times more batteries compared to heavy trucks. It’s always prudent to economise on battery resources in all vehicle categories, but passenger cars are most relevant since 5 million cars with 75 kWh each equal 375 GWh. In comparison, Sweden has 16 000 construction machines with a capacity of 200 kWh per unit, which equals 3,2 GWh.
The charging infrastructure in northern Sweden needs to be improved. Why?
The number of users remains if the government funds 100% of the installation cost with hardware and labour. The cost of charging must cover the cost of energy on the grid and connection fees, which are high compared to income from charging. So, now, it doesn’t generate any business for investors. Most charging is done at home, and either the installed energy or the charging infrastructure must work to relieve your range anxiety. You want to avoid having the feeling that you could get stuck in the middle of nowhere. But on the other hand, what is more likely, a house by the road with a 230V outlet or an extra fuel tank? A personal vehicle has an average lifetime of 17 years, so transitioning from combustion engine vehicles takes a long time. By 2035 the whole fleet of upcoming passenger cars will be replaced in recent sales, and since a vehicle has an average life of 17 years, the e-mobility transition will take time.
Since cars are parked approximately 95% of the time, what is the outlook for (V2B/V2G) Vehicle to Building technology?
Vehicle to the grid [V2G] is likely to come soon, but right now, it’s rare in Sweden, as far as I know, says Hanna.
What about Vehicle to Building [V2B] and using parked vehicles as an energy base for moving energy from place to place?
V2B is not standard in Sweden, and that’s because the charging boxes we have in Sweden need to be replaced since they do not have this capability. Despite this, 5 million cars are sufficiently energy efficient. Still, everyone would likely have to buy a new charging station to obtain energy, and most cars today also do not currently support this technology, so there are a few obstacles on the way.
What about electric roads and hydrogen networks?
In heavy transport, ships, and aviation, fuel cells and hydrogen are essential energy sources. Hydrogen gas, if produced green, will be a way to balance the grid with large generators. ACEA, the transportation sector at the EU level, has stated that electric roads will be a niche solution for specific areas and utilisation. They see a risk that electric roads could compete with the public charging network and the hydrogen system build-up. Electric roads must also be standardised regarding regulation, technology, mechanical systems and communication protocols. Like CCS, all charging ports need to be the same, and it should not matter which vehicle manufacturer it is; all that want should use the same electric road standard.
Another thing is combustible renewable liquid fluids and gas, also known as biofuels, and what will happen there?
Since the reduction obligation will be deregulated, it will no longer be mixed in the fuels for combustion engines. So according to Trafikverket, liquid renewable fuels will only be used during a transition period.
A suggested regulation that is up for discussion is 2040, 90% of all combustion engines for heavy-duty trucks must be replaced, which by itself speaks against biofuels. Biofuels could be an ideal choice for sea transportation, and aviation Backup generators could be used for grid backup as a redundant energy system.
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