A method for optimal charging station placement for ships
Combining a flow-refueling location model and an agent-based simulation
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Abstract
Extensive electrification of the inland shipping sector is necessary to achieve the EU goals to be climate neutral and increase inland shipping by 50\% by 2050. This requires a thoughtful and large-scale roll-out of new charging stations layouts, for ships with relatively high and largely varying energy demands. Current approaches for optimal charging station placement, mostly neglect temporal demand fluctuations and cannot cope with varying charging demands. Therefore, we aimed to develop a method that combined a capacitated flow-capturing approach and an agent-based simulation. Moreover, the resulting method was applied to the Dutch inland waterway freight transport sector in a case study. Results indicated that a large-scale transition to battery-electric propulsion is technically possible, but is likely economically unfeasible. The case study can be used to support decision-making towards renewable shipping. In addition, the newly designed may also be used to site energy hubs. Forthcoming, methods to come to efficient charging station layouts will be needed to stimulate the uptake of electrified transportation and avoid lock-ins to inefficient investments.