IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/renene/v234y2024ics0960148124013120.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Optimizing the photovoltaic-assisted electric bus network with rooftop energy supply

Author

Listed:
  • Li, Yanhao
  • Li, Xin
  • Zhang, Chengdong
  • Zhang, Yanxi

Abstract

As a clean and renewable resource, solar energy has demonstrated its potential to alleviate the energy vulnerability and grid strain for electric bus systems. In this study, we investigate the optimal design of an electric bus network in which rooftop solar panels are equipped to provide en-route photovoltaic assistance. A continuous-based model is proposed to optimize critical network design variables, including time-varying headway, stop spacing, and deployment of depot chargers. Introducing rooftop solar photovoltaics can significantly reduce range anxiety for electric buses. Compared with conventional electric bus systems, 4.2%–7.8 % daily in-operation time can be extended, while at most 5.7 % fleet size can also be saved per day. The proposed system demonstrates much more advantages in regions where hourly solar irradiance exceeds 1000 W/m2. Sensitivity tests indicate that (1) with a 10 % improvement in energy conversion efficiency, 1.2 % daily fleet size and 7.5 % depot chargers can be reduced; (2) every 50-kWh increase in bus battery capacity would bring a 1.8 % increment in system cost. Increasing the installation area of solar panels can help reduce battery capacity and lower the system cost. A real-world-based case in Panjin City, China is further designed to validate the application of the proposed system.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Yanhao & Li, Xin & Zhang, Chengdong & Zhang, Yanxi, 2024. "Optimizing the photovoltaic-assisted electric bus network with rooftop energy supply," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:234:y:2024:i:c:s0960148124013120
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2024.121244
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960148124013120
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.renene.2024.121244?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fan, Wenbo & Mei, Yu & Gu, Weihua, 2018. "Optimal design of intersecting bimodal transit networks in a grid city," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 203-226.
    2. Chandra, Shailesh & Quadrifoglio, Luca, 2013. "A model for estimating the optimal cycle length of demand responsive feeder transit services," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 1-16.
    3. Liu, Yining & Ouyang, Yanfeng, 2021. "Mobility service design via joint optimization of transit networks and demand-responsive services," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 22-41.
    4. Luo, Sida & Nie, Yu (Marco), 2020. "Paired-line hybrid transit design considering spatial heterogeneity," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 320-339.
    5. Orlando Barraza & Miquel Estrada, 2021. "Battery Electric Bus Network: Efficient Design and Cost Comparison of Different Powertrains," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-28, April.
    6. Ansari, Sina & Başdere, Mehmet & Li, Xiaopeng & Ouyang, Yanfeng & Smilowitz, Karen, 2018. "Advancements in continuous approximation models for logistics and transportation systems: 1996–2016," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 229-252.
    7. Zeng, Ziling & Wang, Tingsong & Qu, Xiaobo, 2024. "En-route charge scheduling for an electric bus network: Stochasticity and real-world practice," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    8. Ouyang, Yanfeng & Nourbakhsh, Seyed Mohammad & Cassidy, Michael J., 2014. "Continuum approximation approach to bus network design under spatially heterogeneous demand," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 333-344.
    9. Myeongchan Oh & Hyeong-Dong Park, 2019. "Optimization of Solar Panel Orientation Considering Temporal Volatility and Scenario-Based Photovoltaic Potential: A Case Study in Seoul National University," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-17, August.
    10. Wendeker, Mirosław & Gęca, Michał Jan & Grabowski, Łukasz & Pietrykowski, Konrad & Kasianantham, Nanthagopal, 2022. "Measurements and analysis of a solar-assisted city bus with a diesel engine," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 309(C).
    11. Zhang, Pengfei & Cai, Wenqiu & Yao, Mingtao & Wang, Zhiyou & Yang, Luzhen & Wei, Wendong, 2020. "Urban carbon emissions associated with electricity consumption in Beijing and the driving factors," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    12. Veldhuis, A.J. & Reinders, A.H.M.E., 2013. "Reviewing the potential and cost-effectiveness of grid-connected solar PV in Indonesia on a provincial level," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 315-324.
    13. Daganzo, Carlos F., 2010. "Structure of competitive transit networks," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 44(4), pages 434-446, May.
    14. ur Rehman, Naveed & Hijazi, Mohamad & Uzair, Muhammad, 2020. "Solar potential assessment of public bus routes for solar buses," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 193-200.
    15. Xiaohan Liu & Patrick Plötz & Sonia Yeh & Zhengke Liu & Xiaoyue Cathy Liu & Xiaolei Ma, 2024. "Transforming public transport depots into profitable energy hubs," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 9(10), pages 1206-1219, October.
    16. Wang, Yineng & Lin, Xi & He, Fang & Li, Meng, 2022. "Designing transit-oriented multi-modal transportation systems considering travelers’ choices," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 292-327.
    17. Sarralde, Juan José & Quinn, David James & Wiesmann, Daniel & Steemers, Koen, 2015. "Solar energy and urban morphology: Scenarios for increasing the renewable energy potential of neighbourhoods in London," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 10-17.
    18. Ren, Haoshan & Ma, Zhenjun & Ming Lun Fong, Alan & Sun, Yongjun, 2022. "Optimal deployment of distributed rooftop photovoltaic systems and batteries for achieving net-zero energy of electric bus transportation in high-density cities," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 319(C).
    19. Oh, Myeongchan & Kim, Sung-Min & Park, Hyeong-Dong, 2020. "Estimation of photovoltaic potential of solar bus in an urban area: Case study in Gwanak, Seoul, Korea," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 1335-1348.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Xin Li & Wanying Liu & Jingyuan Qiao & Yanhao Li & Jia Hu, 2023. "An Enhanced Semi-Flexible Transit Service with Introducing Meeting Points," Networks and Spatial Economics, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 487-527, September.
    2. Chen, Zhiwei & Li, Xiaopeng & Zhou, Xuesong, 2020. "Operational design for shuttle systems with modular vehicles under oversaturated traffic: Continuous modeling method," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 76-100.
    3. Luo, Sida & Nie, Yu (Marco), 2020. "On the role of route choice modeling in transit sketchy design," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 223-243.
    4. Caicedo, Angélica & Estrada, Miquel & Medina-Tapia, Marcos & Mayorga, Miguel, 2023. "Optimizing bike network design: A cost-effective methodology for heterogeneous travel demands using continuous approximation techniques," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    5. Ansari, Sina & Başdere, Mehmet & Li, Xiaopeng & Ouyang, Yanfeng & Smilowitz, Karen, 2018. "Advancements in continuous approximation models for logistics and transportation systems: 1996–2016," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 229-252.
    6. Dakic, Igor & Leclercq, Ludovic & Menendez, Monica, 2021. "On the optimization of the bus network design: An analytical approach based on the three-dimensional macroscopic fundamental diagram," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 393-417.
    7. Javier Durán-Micco & Pieter Vansteenwegen, 2022. "A survey on the transit network design and frequency setting problem," Public Transport, Springer, vol. 14(1), pages 155-190, March.
    8. Pei, Mingyang & Lin, Peiqun & Du, Jun & Li, Xiaopeng & Chen, Zhiwei, 2021. "Vehicle dispatching in modular transit networks: A mixed-integer nonlinear programming model," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    9. Fan, Wenbo & Gu, Weihua & Xu, Meng, 2024. "Optimal design of ride-pooling as on-demand feeder services," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    10. Bie, Yiming & Qin, Wei & Wu, Jiabin, 2024. "Optimal electric bus scheduling method under hybrid energy supply mode of photovoltaic-energy storage system-power grid," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 372(C).
    11. Liu, Yining & Ouyang, Yanfeng, 2021. "Mobility service design via joint optimization of transit networks and demand-responsive services," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 22-41.
    12. Wang, Yineng & Lin, Xi & He, Fang & Li, Meng, 2022. "Designing transit-oriented multi-modal transportation systems considering travelers’ choices," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 292-327.
    13. Mei, Yu & Gu, Weihua & Cassidy, Michael & Fan, Wenbo, 2021. "Planning skip-stop transit service under heterogeneous demands," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 503-523.
    14. Wu, Liyu & Gu, Weihua & Fan, Wenbo & Cassidy, Michael J., 2020. "Optimal design of transit networks fed by shared bikes," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 63-83.
    15. Zhen, Li & Gu, Weihua, 2024. "Feeder bus service design under spatially heterogeneous demand," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    16. Masing, Berenike & Lindner, Niels & Borndörfer, Ralf, 2022. "The price of symmetric line plans in the Parametric City," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 419-443.
    17. Luo, Sida & Nie, Yu (Marco), 2020. "Paired-line hybrid transit design considering spatial heterogeneity," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 320-339.
    18. Fan, Wenbo & Mei, Yu & Gu, Weihua, 2018. "Optimal design of intersecting bimodal transit networks in a grid city," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 203-226.
    19. Ku, Jiyoon & Kim, Sung-Min & Park, Hyeong-Dong, 2024. "Energy-saving path planning navigation for solar-powered vehicles considering shadows," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C).
    20. Rich, Jeppe & Seshadri, Ravi & Jomeh, Ali Jamal & Clausen, Sofus Rasmus, 2023. "Fixed routing or demand-responsive? Agent-based modelling of autonomous first and last mile services in light-rail systems," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:234:y:2024:i:c:s0960148124013120. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/renewable-energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.