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Assessment of Energy Saving and CO 2 Mitigation Potential of Electric Vehicles and Plug‐in Hybrid Vehicles under Japan's Power Generation Mix
Author(s) -
Komiyama Ryoichi,
Fujii Yasumasa
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
electrical engineering in japan
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.136
H-Index - 28
eISSN - 1520-6416
pISSN - 0424-7760
DOI - 10.1002/eej.22546
Subject(s) - automotive engineering , electricity , nuclear decommissioning , energy mix , electricity generation , gasoline , electric vehicle , engineering , energy consumption , greenhouse gas , environmental science , waste management , power (physics) , electrical engineering , ecology , physics , quantum mechanics , biology
SUMMARY This paper evaluates the impact of an extensive introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) and plug‐in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) on the energy supply mix in Japan. Energy consumption in Japan's transport sector has been dominated by petroleum, and CO 2 emissions in this sector account for 20% of Japan's CO 2 emissions. Therefore, the deployment of clean energy vehicles, such as EV and PHEV, is expected to play a significant role in tackling energy security and environmental concerns. In order to assess the energy and environmental benefits of EV and PHEV, we develop an energy system model integrating an optimal power generation mix model and a vehicle penetration model, with consideration of the optimal electricity charging profile of those advanced vehicles. The calculated results suggest that massive EV penetration serves as an energy saving measure in Japan's whole energy system due to significant petroleum reductions exceeding the growth of fuel input into the power generation sector derived from significant EV and PHEV penetration. Massive EV deployment is estimated to contribute to CO 2 mitigation in the energy system as well. Evaluating CO 2 emissions by mileage by automobile, however, carbon emissions by mileage for EVs is almost equivalent to that of gasoline hybrid vehicles (HEVs) in the case of decommissioning of nuclear power plants, which eventually causes a higher carbon intensity of the electricity supply.