Author Archives → bjorns

Exploring the feasibility of electric vehicle travel for remote communities in Australia

New paper out today showing that current EVs would be able to service the vast majority (93%+) of residents of remote communities in northern Australia (under simplified assumptions).

My take aways:

  • We cannot leave these communities out of our clean transport plans (as we did with clean electricity) – they are not in the “too hard basket”
  • If EVs can service trips in remote communities their ranges are likewise sufficient for regional communities – who too have received less support for electrification
  • Charging infrastructure – especially in regional and remote service towns – is now the missing piece of the puzzle

The media’s takes:

  • The Guardian “Regional residents at risk of being ‘last people in the world’ driving petrol cars due to misconception electric vehicle batteries lack range” (a stretch perhaps)
  • Cosmos Magazine “Electrification shouldn’t ignore remote communities.” (nailed it!)

Article is here and abstract and link to free to access pre-print are below

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FACTS – a Framework for an Australian Clean Transport Strategy

I was part of a team of 18 independent experts (academics) who developed a comprehensive framework for decarbonising the Australian transport sector in a manner consistent with international best practice (eg shifting trips to public and active transport) and climate science to keep warming within 1.5d.

Below are some takeout snapshots. The full report is available at transportfacts.org and a summary was published in The Conversation.

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The clean energy revolution isn’t a techno-fix – it needs to be guided by communities’ local needs

New piece in The Conversation

Context is everything

Under the previous federal government, Australia’s approach to emissions reduction was narrow and technology-centred.

The new Labor government – elected on the promise of climate action – has the opportunity to move to a community-based approach. This should ensure any new infrastructure integrates with people’s lives, values, and aspirations.

Such an approach requires proponents and funding bodies (both government and private) to genuinely listen to communities’ needs – right from the early design stage.

If local circumstances are not considered, a trial can be plagued with problems.

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Providing electric vehicle charging at ANU

As life continues to return to the ANU campus we’re finally able to announce that we’re providing free electric vehicle charging – powered by the DERlab.

Vice Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt said: “I see this as the first small step, or a precursor to having charging available more broadly on campus. I envision a set of EV parking spots will be rolled out across campus in the years to come so people can plug in and charge their EV while the sun is shining and the energy is cheap, rather than, like me, going home when the sun has set and plugging in.

“Here at ANU we are a community of 20,000 people, we have the opportunity to lead the way, implement our own knowledge and show the world how to do it. We will have to make some sacrifices to get ANU Below Zero by 2030 but our community is right behind it,” said Professor Schmidt.

Full story @ BSGIP website

Neighbourhood batteries in Australia: Anticipating questions of value conflict and (in)justice

We have a new paper published today in Energy Research & Social Science.

Highlights

  • Energy professionals and citizens hold diverse values on algorithm design, governance and the energy transition generally.
  • Differences in how values are interpreted and which values are emphasised suggest future points of conflict (and injustice).
  • Systemic issues raised both down and upstream of the technology suggest distributed responsability ill suited to centralised governance.
  • Our focus on responsibility and justice reorients the problem to re-design rather than accommodation.

Pre-print is freely available below and the published paper is available at https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1ely67tZ6ZxQoB

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