• Energy Research
• 2021-2025close
• Open Access close
• Energy Policy close

The global drive towards sustainability has ushered in a new era of transportation, prominently featuring the rise of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). The rapid rise of BEVs has been widely hailed as a crucial milestone in promoting sustainable transportation and combating climate change. The existing empirical evidence provides undeniable support for the essential role of BEVs to support net zero targets. However, like any disruptive technology, BEVs are not without their hidden effects. This paper seeks to explore and analyse these lesser-known repercussions (i.e., externalities) of BEV adoption. In doing so, it sheds light on the environmental, infrastructure, socio-economic and safety externalities of BEVs, aiming to foster a holistic understanding of their impact and facilitate informed decision-making. Furthermore, it highlights the critical role of public awareness and user education in maximising the benefits of BEVs and the importance of maintaining a balance of information in developing such campaigns. Empowering individuals, communities, and policymakers with accurate information, dispelling misconceptions, and fostering responsible BEV practices are essential for realising maximal environmental impacts of BEVs. The discussion emphasises the need for moving beyond climate-change targets that are merely based on tailpipe emissions, towards life-cycle-based approaches.

The global drive towards sustainability has ushered in a new era of transportation, prominently featuring the rise of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs). The rapid rise of BEVs has been widely hailed as a crucial milestone in promoting sustainable transportation and combating climate change. The existing empirical evidence provides undeniable support for the essential role of BEVs to support net zero targets. However, like any disruptive technology, BEVs are not without their hidden effects. This paper seeks to explore and analyse these lesser-known repercussions (i.e., externalities) of BEV adoption. In doing so, it sheds light on the environmental, infrastructure, socio-economic and safety externalities of BEVs, aiming to foster a holistic understanding of their impact and facilitate informed decision-making. Furthermore, it highlights the critical role of public awareness and user education in maximising the benefits of BEVs and the importance of maintaining a balance of information in developing such campaigns. Empowering individuals, communities, and policymakers with accurate information, dispelling misconceptions, and fostering responsible BEV practices are essential for realising maximal environmental impacts of BEVs. The discussion emphasises the need for moving beyond climate-change targets that are merely based on tailpipe emissions, towards life-cycle-based approaches.

Hydrogen can be key in the energy system transition. We investigate the role of offshore hydrogen generation in a future integrated energy system, and its interaction with other system elements. By performing energy system optimisation in a model application of the Northern-central European energy system and the North Sea offshore grid towards 2050, we find that offshore hydrogen generation may likely only play a limited role, and that offshore wind energy has higher value when sent to shore in the form of electricity. Forcing all hydrogen generation offshore would lead to increased energy system costs (9-28 b\EUR2016/year by 2045). Under the assumed scenario conditions, hydrogen generation - both onshore and offshore - follows solar PV generation patterns. Combined with hydrogen storage, this is the most cost-effective solution to satisfy future hydrogen demand. Overall, we find that the role of future offshore hydrogen generation should not simply be derived from minimizing costs for the offshore sub-system, but by also considering the value that such generation would create for the whole integrated energy system. Based on our results, a stronger political effort to promote the integration of offshore wind in onshore energy markets via electrical connection is called for.

Hydrogen can be key in the energy system transition. We investigate the role of offshore hydrogen generation in a future integrated energy system, and its interaction with other system elements. By performing energy system optimisation in a model application of the Northern-central European energy system and the North Sea offshore grid towards 2050, we find that offshore hydrogen generation may likely only play a limited role, and that offshore wind energy has higher value when sent to shore in the form of electricity. Forcing all hydrogen generation offshore would lead to increased energy system costs (9-28 b\EUR2016/year by 2045). Under the assumed scenario conditions, hydrogen generation - both onshore and offshore - follows solar PV generation patterns. Combined with hydrogen storage, this is the most cost-effective solution to satisfy future hydrogen demand. Overall, we find that the role of future offshore hydrogen generation should not simply be derived from minimizing costs for the offshore sub-system, but by also considering the value that such generation would create for the whole integrated energy system. Based on our results, a stronger political effort to promote the integration of offshore wind in onshore energy markets via electrical connection is called for.