Strategies, models and case studies to fully decarbonize regional and long-distance transport

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Dietmar Göhlich; Professor Dr. Kai Nagel
• Subject Area: Traffic and Transport Systems, Intelligent and Automated Traffic
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 398051144

The introduction of battery-electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles are suitable technologies for the introduction of regenerative energy in the transport sector and thus for reducing the climate-damaging greenhouse gas emissions generated there. We are following up on our previous project, which analyzes urban transport. With this follow-up project, we aim to develop different strategies for the realization of a fully decarbonized transport system in rural areas as well as in long-distance transport. We will also assess financial and environmental consequences in detail.We are not aware of any other projects that model concrete vehicle trajectories, underlay them with suitable vehicle types and charging systems, adapt the trajectories to the resulting new boundary conditions if necessary, and finally arrive at environmental and cost balances with the same level of detail as we do.We examine passenger, freight, commercial and service transport and thus cover all relevant transport segments. Our considerations include various drivetrain and vehicle technologies, but also new mobility concepts, such as autonomous shuttles. We will also investigate carbon-free technologies for non-electrified rail lines and air traffic.As in the previous project, our central tool is an agent-based traffic simulation that individually tracks synthetic avatars of all vehicles, people, and goods in the study area. This is flanked by various new methods, such as different models for generating traffic demand, vehicle simulations for determining consumption data, and different approaches for designing charging infrastructure.We develop various simulation scenarios for rural and long-distance transport, which are analyzed regarding cost and environmental impact using TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) and LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) techniques.The results achieved in this project and its predecessor will provide scientifically sound facts for the ongoing socio-political debate on the "right way to a green transport system”.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants