Multi-Objective Optimisation of Power-to-Mobility in Decentralised Multi-Energy Systems

The energy strategies used to plan future emissions reductions typically have separate strategies for decarbonisation of the transport and building sectors. However, the advent and diffusion of alternative fuel vehicle technologies could result in vehicle transport becoming a major energy load in urban energy systems in addition to heating and electricity. The building and personal transport sectors both have a large potential for CO2 emissions reductions, however the energy must come from mainly renewable sources. In this work, a multi-objective optimisation model is developed that considers a multi-energy system and minimises both the total cost and life-cycle emissions of both the buildings and vehicles. The model selects both the conversion and storage technologies that the community uses to produce electricity and heat, as well as vehicle powertrain types. The resulting Pareto solutions rely on transitions away from internal combustion engine vehicles to battery electric vehicles, and to a much lesser extent plug-in hybrid vehicles. The heating energy is decarbonised with a transition to heat pumps and away from gas boilers. The optimisation model is tested with 77 vehicles and 50 buildings, and results shows that the emission reductions could be as high as 79% by 2035 and 85% by 2050.