• Energy Research
• Closed Access close
• DE close
• CA close
• Transport Research close

To adequately analyze the impacts associated with the rising use of automobiles, an assessment framework is needed that includes environment, health, economic, and sociocultural impacts. Such a framework was developed and applied to a proposed freeway-widening project in Edmonton, Canada. The assessment framework was developed using both Multi-Criteria Analysis and the Ecosystem Approach to Human Health (Ecohealth). Community participation was vital in the application of the assessment framework to this case study. Six stakeholder groups, including community members, City Councillors, and health, environment, and transportation experts, provided needed qualitative data for the assessment framework. Quantitative data were gathered from an ecological study design that associated traffic volumes with respiratory conditions in Edmonton. Community members’ perceptions about the impacts of the freeway widening differed from those of the expert groups in a number of areas. Environmental and health degradation was more of an issue to community members than to expert groups. Though respiratory conditions were not projected to increase by a significant amount because of the freeway widening, further analysis is necessary on other biophysical and socioeconomic impacts listed in the assessment framework. The divergence in opinion between community members and experts suggests that more communication is needed between these groups in relation to transportation planning. The Ecohealth approach ensures that community concerns are addressed in transportation planning.

Abstract This paper presents a study of the combined influence of battery models and sizing strategy for hybrid and battery-based electric vehicles. In particular, the aim is to find the number of battery (and supercapacitor) cells to propel a light vehicle to run two different standard driving cycles. Three equivalent circuit models are considered to simulate the battery electrical performance: linear static, non-linear static and non-linear with first-order dynamics. When dimensioning a battery-based vehicle, less complex models may lead to a solution with more battery cells and higher costs. Despite the same tendency, when a hybrid vehicle is taken into account, the influence of the battery models is dependent on the sizing strategy. In this work, two sizing strategies are evaluated: dynamic programming and filter-based. For the latter, the complexity of the battery model has a clear influence on the result of the sizing problem. On the other hand, a modest influence is observed when a dynamic programming strategy is followed.

AbstractResting egg production is considered the most common form of dormancy in aquatic invertebrates. Given that many taxa at least partially terminate resting egg state using environmental cues, knowledge on environmental drivers of hatching success is important, particularly within the context of climate change and environmental degradation. Fairy shrimp (anostracans) are temporary wetland specialists that are reliant on resting egg production for population persistence. Temporary wetlands are common in many arid regions projected to experience increases in temperature, and in areas often compromised by human‐mediated activities. In this study, we assessed the combined effects of light and temperature on the hatching success of Streptocephalus cafer (Anostraca) dormant eggs from temporary wetlands in an arid environment. Both temperature and light altered hatching success, with emergent effects evident. Light caused a significant threefold increase in hatching success overall, while temperature effects were non‐linear, with hatching optimised at 27°C, and especially under light conditions. These results are discussed within the context of shifting climates and disturbances to temporary wetland ecosystems.

Abstract: The usage of multi-objective cost functions (MOCFs) in sizing and energy management strategy (EMS) of fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles (FCHEVs) has expanded due to the participation of multiple technological and economic disciplines. To better understand the impact of price fluctuation on the component size and EMS of an FCHEV, this article proposed a sensitivity analysis methodology. First, a two-step optimization approach that considers hydrogen consumption, system degradation, and trip cost is used to minimize a MOCF of the Can-Am Spyder electric motorcycle simulator. Then, an effect analysis is carried out for the cost-optimal results under two driving profiles to understand the link between cost variation and system performance. These simulations indicate that each might result in different system sizes and EMS compromise. After that, an online optimization EMS based on sequential quadratic programming is used on a reduced-scale hardware-in-the-loop configuration to evaluate the simulation results with varied weights. Experimental results indicate that when an adequate size is used for each pair of weights, the EMS results in a 6% decrease in the trip cost.

AbstractClimate change will not only shift environmental means but will also increase the intensity of extreme events, exerting additional stress on ecosystems. While field observations on the ecological consequences of heat waves are emerging, experimental evidence is rare, and lacking at the community level. Using a novel “near‐natural” outdoor mesocosms approach, this study tested whether marine summer heat waves have detrimental consequences for macrofauna of a temperate coastal community, and whether sequential heat waves provoke an increase or decrease of sensitivity to thermal stress. Three treatments were applied, defined and characterized through a statistical analysis of 15 years of temperature records from the experimental site: (1) no heat wave, (2) two heat waves in June and July followed by a summer heat wave in August and (3) the summer heat wave only. Overall, 50% of the species showed positive, negative or positive/negative responses in either abundance and/or biomass. We highlight four possible ways in which single species responded to either three subsequent heat waves or one summer heat wave: (1) absence of a response (tolerance, 50% of species), (2) negative accumulative effects by three subsequent heat waves (tellinid bivalve), (3) buffering by proceeding heat waves due to acclimation and/or shifts in phenology (spionid polychaete) and (4) an accumulative positive effect by subsequent heat waves (amphipod). The differential responses to single or sequential heat waves at the species level entailed shifts at the community level. Community‐level differences between single and triple heat waves were more pronounced than those between regimes with vs. without heat waves. Detritivory was reduced by the single heat wave while suspension feeding was less common in the triple heat wave regime. Critical extreme events occur already today and will occur more frequently in a changing climate, thus, leading to detrimental impacts on coastal marine systems.

This paper presents a comprehensive and validated inventory of road transport emissions worldwide. The bottom-up calculation correlates within 2% and 10% with fuel sales data in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and non-OECD regions, respectively; this adds credibility to the results. The inventory covers eight exhaust compounds emitted by five vehicle categories and five fuel types each. For many non-OECD countries, road transport exhaust emissions have been calculated for the first time at this level of detail. Furthermore, this paper provides a conservative estimate of primary particulate matter emissions from diesel and gasoline vehicles. The Group of Seven countries (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States) together with Brazil, China, India, Mexico, and Russia account for more than three-quarters of all considered exhaust emissions, followed by major countries in the Middle East and Southeast Asia. Action in these 15 countries could reduce emissions for the whole region significantly. Exhaust control and maintenance can focus on motorized two-wheelers, buses, and heavy-duty trucks. The inventory is particularly suited for comparisons across countries and regions. Data uncertainties in transport volumes and real-world emissions, notably of hydrocarbon and particulate matter, should be reduced.

Electricity from renewable and/or nuclear sources (“carbon–neutral electricity”) can be used for charging plug-in electric vehicles in order to significantly reduce their lifecycle carbon emissions. However, little is known about how carbon–neutral charging services (CNCS) for electric vehicles must be designed to attract consumers’ interest. Therefore, we conducted a survey including an Adaptive Choice-based Conjoint Analysis to investigate private consumers’ awareness and preferences for different service attributes of CNCS, specifically the energy source, regionality of generation, additionality, balancing period, charging flexibility, and price. The online survey in Germany of 510 private consumers who were interested in electric vehicles shows that awareness is highest for the energy source and regionality. Behind price, these are also the second and third most important attributes when choosing a CNCS. Even though, on average, there seems to be a link between the awareness for an attribute, its importance and consumers’ willingness to pay, this link proves to be non-significant for individual respondents. In conclusion, providers of CNCS could prominently advertise the attributes consumers are most aware of (i.e., the energy source and regionality of generation). Explaining the less-known, and therefore deemed unimportant, attributes (i.e., additionality, balancing period, and charging flexibility) to consumers could be difficult and costly for providers. From a system perspective, however, more convincing explanation efforts could lead to an increased use of renewables and enhanced system reliability. This raises the challenge for policymakers to create a framework which is both advantageous for the energy system and attractive to consumers. Government-set standards for charging tariffs may be a viable option.

AbstractThis paper presents the results of a study carried out to examine the feasibility of integrating electric drive vehicles (EDVs) in the Danish electricity network which is characterised by high wind power penetration. One of the main aims of this study was to examine the effect of EDVs on the Danish electricity network, wind power penetration and electricity market. In particular the study examined the effect of EDVs on the generation capacity constraints, load curve, cross border transmission capacity and the type of generating sources (renewable/conventional) which are likely to fuel these cars. The study was carried out considering the Danish electricity network state around 2025, when the EDV penetration levels would be significant enough to have an impact on the power system. Some of the interesting findings of this study are—EDVs have the potential to assist in integrating more wind power (by adding more market value to wind power and by improving over all power system reliability) and integration of EDV does not require major additional infrastructure (generation/transmission cross border capacities). Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.