Sun-powered wheels: PV chargers for shared e-scooters to mitigate urban CO2 emissions
2024
Rubenis, Aivars | Adrian, Leslie R. | Garkevics, Martins
Shared scooters have the potential to be environmentally friendly; however, current data demonstrate that shared e-scooters produce additional 239.9 tonnes of CO2 in Riga. The lifespan of the scooters and the operations involved in charging their batteries play a critical role in determining the total net CO2 emissions. Utilizing locally produced photovoltaic (PV) energy to eliminate the need to move scooters (or swappable batteries) for charging by providing continuous charge top-ups, would be a significant step towards sustainability of shared electric scooters. In this study we have analysed the possibility of generating enough energy on-site to provide chargers with PV energy based on data from 3 million scooter trips from the 2021–2022, to determine the energy requirements. Using solar energy data from Riga over the past seven years and a Monte Carlo simulation, the minimum requirements for scooter charging stations were determined to ensure adequate energy provision without grid connection. The analysis demonstrated that using just 0.2 square m of PV panels combined with energy storage system, it was possible to provide enough solar energy to ensure continuous charging of 98% of electric scooters for most of the season. Still, the solar radiance in Latvia is insufficient to generate enough energy for worst-case scenarios during early springs and late autumns. Despite challenges, introducing this system in Latvia would significantly reduce CO2 emissions. However, PV chargers are best suited for regions with consistent solar energy, such as Portugal and Los Angeles, California, where they can operate smoothly all year round.
显示更多 [+] 显示较少 [-]AGROVOC关键词
书目信息
出版者 Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies