TAC Sponsor Spotlight Article – AECOM
By Edward Stubbing, Department Manager, ITS & Emerging Transportation Technologies
We are all together on the road to transportation decarbonization, but the pace of change and the obstacles faced are different for every circumstance. The necessity of decarbonization in our society has never been more pressing as we continue to see the impacts of our changing climate both in Canada and globally. The transportation sector in Canada—in particular road transportation—accounts for approximately one quarter of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions and has become one of the key focus areas for emissions reduction. Despite this, regional policies, technology innovation and social trends have significantly impacted the pattern of decarbonization from coast to coast.
The early intent of federal policies was to support the transition of larger, high mileage fleets such as transit, while several provinces like British Columbia and Quebec put funding into infrastructure. Although almost all efforts to date at various levels of government have helped to create a shift towards zero-emission technologies, some have had more success than others. Although the ultimate measure of success will be a variation to the climate change trajectory the globe is currently on, in more immediate terms, targets such as the federal goal of no new sales of combustion engines after 2035 are a better success indicator. With this deadline now less than a decade away, the current trends show a degree of uncertainty going forward.
As vehicle manufacturers invest in the development of market-ready zero-emission technologies such as lithium-ion battery electric vehicles (BEV), the focus has shifted to the policies and infrastructure that will support this wholescale transition. AECOM has supported a range of municipalities, provincial agencies, private fleets and federal operations in developing zero-emission programs that support the adoption and decarbonization.
What can move the needle?
Multiple explanations have emerged as to why zero-emission adoption is below the target, including a lack of charging infrastructure, high energy prices and limited vehicle availability. The change in propulsion technology for the approximately 26 million registered vehicles in Canada is not something that comes as easily as the flick of a switch. When dealing with a technology transition on this scale, a phased widescale program is needed—something that becomes ever harder when the number of stakeholders is almost the whole of Canada. However, there are many examples of success in transportation decarbonization:
Education: In an age of misinformation and unverified sources, it’s no surprise that there are regularly inaccurate stories about BEVs circulating. Whether it’s the claim that lithium-ion batteries are more likely to catch fire than traditional combustion engines (0.03% versus 1.5% according to the National Transportation Safety Board), or that the carbon emission involved in producing a lithium-ion battery is several times that of the magnitude of a combustion engine (8.8 tonnes versus 5.6 tonnes of CO2 according to Environmental Protection Agency), these stories serve to create misconceptions regarding BEVs. Various organizations have established effective education campaigns to share vital information about the benefits of zero-emission vehicles, what to look for when considering a vehicle purchase, and relevant information regarding owning and charging a vehicle. Where implemented successfully, these campaigns have been linked directly to an increase in EV adoption trends.
Public Charging Infrastructure: There is a misconception that adoption will not occur without public charging, however in many cities where adoption is particularly high, the ratio of available public chargers to vehicles is some of the lowest. The capital cost of installing public chargers is generally much higher than any realistic return on investment; this results in them being priced higher than local utility rates. Surveying EV owners has revealed that most of them have found alternative and sometimes creative ways to access private charging at homes, offices or other locations that provide access to some of the lowest energy rates.
This does not mean that there isn’t a role for public charging. Indeed, in cities like Toronto and Vancouver, where multi-unit residential buildings account for as many as half of all residents, public charging programs are going to play a major role in facilitating the transition. However, in a vast number of situations, slower-speed public charging is not going to be attractive enough to create any form of return on the capital outlay. This suggests that public agencies interested in providing infrastructure should focus on developing fast charging infrastructure that can serve time-sensitive charging needs, support larger commercial vehicles, and is often more difficult for the private sector to supply.
Policy: The current road transportation network is a complex construct, and so are the policies that will support EV adoption. As the public sector drives towards a net zero-emissions future, policy tools form an important part of the options available to encourage the wider transition. These can include travel demand management (TDM) policies focused on providing EV incentives such as charging, subsidies, or more wholesome sector policies such as the City of Toronto’s directive for all vehicle-for-hire license applicants to be zero-emission by 2030. The opportunity to use policy is there for many agencies irrespective of the level of government, although it needs to be balanced with incentives that enable adoption.
Lead from the front: As the pace of adoption is targeted to ramp up, public sector agencies can set the example by transitioning their own fleets to zero-emission technologies. Setting this example is a major step in demonstrating the importance and commitment to tackling a commonly shared problem. Across the country, fleets such as transit, public works, couriers, transport and logistics, and others are all planning and implementing transition strategies. This has helped to create demand for a zero-emission vehicle market and strategic charging networks, as well as demonstrating the feasibility of the technology to perform.
As Engineering News-Record’s top Transportation and Mass Transit & Rail firm year after year, AECOM is the trusted delivery partner for public agencies across Canada and the United States in their decarbonization journey.
Link to AECOM’s decarbonization website: https://aecom.com/markets/energy/transportation-decarbonization/
