Introduction
The public transport operator of the German city Oberhausen (Stadtwerke Oberhausen) is taking part in the European H2020 project Eliptic which aims to show how costs and energy can be saved by electrifying public transport and optimising the use of existing infrastructure.Electrification of public transport is an overarching aim of the Horizon 2020 CIVITAS-ELIPTIC project: developing new use concepts and business cases for the use of existing electric public transport systems - e.g. light rail, metro, tram and trolleybus – as a charging infrastructure in a multimodal mobility context. Existing electric public transport infrastructure can be considered as a smart grid itself and as an enabler for further sustainable and innovative mobility services as alternative to car ownership.
Multi-purpose use of electric public transport infrastructure
Reason to Be Selected
Electrification of public transport can achieve quick and strong impact to mitigate the urgent air quality and noise problems, to contribute efficiently to reduce CO2 emission. Additionally, attractive public transport is a backbone of Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs).
Details
ELIPTIC aims to define how the existing electric public transport infrastructure (trolleybus, metro and tram sub-stations) could be used as charging infrastructure for other non e-bus electric vehicles (pedelecs, e-cars/ taxis, e-vans and e-utility trucks). For safe integration of electric vehicles into existing infrastructure or energy network, different approaches are being developed which, taking into account the vehicle type. Similarly to Pillar A as well as Pillar B, Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) are being tested in relevant environments, for instance a sub-station of the future for multi-purpose infrastructure use.
The main objectives of ELIPTIC are:
(1)Safe integration of ebuses into existing electric PT infrastructure:
·(re)charging ebuses “en route” (e.g. trolleybus operated on tram infrastructure) or on the spot (battery buses/ hybrids charged from trolleybus, tram, metro network);
(2)Upgrading and/or regenerating electric public transport systems (flywheel, reversible substations)
·analyse smart energy management concepts for (existing) electric public transport networks
(3)Multi-purpose use of electric public transport infrastructure: safe (re)charging of non-public transport vehicles (pedelecs, electric cars/ taxis, utility trucks)
·analyse the potential of existing electric public transport infrastructure to become a backbone for smart electromobility
Use cases developed within this pillar:
Use of metro sub-station for (re)charging TfL fleet vehicles (e-cars & e-vans) and zero-emission capable taxis (London, UK)
Use of metro/tram infrastructure for recharging e-cars (municipal fleet and private e-cars) (Barcelona, ES)
Use of tram network sub-station for (re)charging e-vehicles (Leipzig, DE)
Fast-charging stations for e-cars powered from the tram network (Oberhausen, DE)
Multipurpose use of infrastructure for (re)charging trolley-hybrids & e-vehicles (Szeged, HU)
From uniqueness to system: Extension of existing multimodal mobility hub station (Bremen, DE)
Conclusions
ELIPTIC addresses the challenge of “transforming the use of conventionally fuelled vehicles in urban areas” by focusing on increasing the capacity of electric public transport, reducing the need for individual travel in urban areas and by expanding electric inter- and multimodal options (e.g. linking e-cars charging to tram infrastructure).
FULL STORY:
