ABSTRACT
The road freight sector faces significant challenges in decarbonisation, driven by high energy demand and limited availability of low-emission fuels and commercialised zero-emission vehicles. This study investigates intangible costs associated with advanced electric and hydrogen-powered trucks, including recharging/refuelling time, cargo capacity limitations, and buyer reluctance towards emerging technologies. Utilising a comprehensive whole-systems modelling approach considering low- and zero-emission fuels, inter-sectoral dynamics, and the carbon budget, we explore cost-optimal decarbonisation pathways for heavy, medium, and light trucks. Scenario and sensitivity analyses reveal the following insights: (1) Electric trucks dominate the market under mitigation pathways across all weight categories. However, the inclusion of intangible costs triggers a shift, leading to the emergence of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles for heavy trucks, while battery electric vehicles are preferred for medium and small trucks. (2) Prioritising heavy truck decarbonisation and taking early action are crucial to avoid carbon lock-in effects. (3) Considering limited decarbonisation options, where electric and hydrogen-fuelled trucks are pivotal, this research highlights the significance of policy instruments targeting operational expenditures over conventional purchase price incentives. Such policies offer dual benefits by supporting truck owners and directing incentives more precisely towards achieving measurable emission reductions.
ABSTRACT
These data and analyses support the research article "How and Why We Travel - Mobility Demand and Emissions from Passenger Transport (O'Riordan et al., 2022). This article refers to a spreadsheet model, the Irish Passenger Transport Emissions and Mobility Model (IPTEM V2.9). The spreadsheet model is available for download from Zenodo (O'Riordan et al., 2022). The model and the underlying data, details the passenger transport demand by trip purpose (work, shopping, education etc.,), mode type (car, rail, bus, cycling, walking) and trip distance for Ireland over the period of 2009-2019. Passenger occupancy rates for public transport modes in Ireland, CO2 emissions intensities and annual CO2 emissions are also included in the Data in Brief. Assumptions and equations used to develop the IPTEM V2.9 are available in the Experimental design, materials, and methods section.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Transition discourses are gaining prominence in efforts to imagine a future that adequately addresses the urgent need to establish low carbon and climate resilient pathways. Within these discourses the 'public' is seen as central to the creation and implementation of appropriate interventions. The role of public engagement in societal transformation while essential, is also complex and often poorly understood. The purpose of this paper is to enhance our understanding regarding public engagement and to address the often superficial and shallow policy discourse on this topic. MAIN TEXT: The paper offers a review of evolving literature to map emergent public engagement in processes of transition and change. We adopt a pragmatic approach towards literature retrieval and analysis which enables a cross-disciplinary and cross-sectoral review. We use a scoping review process and the three spheres of transformation framework (designated as the practical, political and personal spheres) to explore trends within this complex research field. The review draws from literature from the last two decades in the Irish context and looks at emergence and evolving spaces of public engagement within various systems of change including energy, food, coastal management and flood adaptation, among others. CONCLUSIONS: The results highlight the siloed and fragmented way in which public engagement in transitions is carried and we propose a more cross-sectoral and cross-disciplinary approach which depends on bringing into dialogue often contrasting theories and perspectives. The paper also illustrates some shifting engagement approaches. For instance, nexus articles between the practical and political spheres suggest deeper forms of public engagement beyond aggregated consumer behaviour to align technological delivery with institutional and societal contexts. While most articles in the practical sphere draw largely on techno-economic insights this influence and cross-disciplinarity is likely to draw in further innovations. Nexus articles between the political and personal sphere are also drawing on shifting ideas of public engagement and largely stress the need to disrupt reductive notions of engagement and agency within our institutions. Many of these articles call attention to problems with top-down public engagement structures and in various ways show how they often undermine and marginalise different groups.
ABSTRACT
Studies focusing on 100% renewable energy systems have emerged in recent years; however, existing studies tend to focus only on the power sector using exploratory approaches. This paper therefore undertakes a whole-system approach and explores optimal pathways towards 100% renewable energy by 2050. The analysis is carried out for Ireland, which currently has the highest share of variable renewable electricity on a synchronous power system. Large numbers of scenarios are developed using the Irish TIMES model to address uncertainties. Results show that compared to decarbonization targets, focusing on renewable penetration without considering carbon capture options is significantly less cost effective in carbon mitigation. Alternative assumptions on bioenergy imports and maximum variability in power generation lead to very different energy mixes in bioenergy and electrification levels. All pathways suggest that indigenous bioenergy needs to be fully exploited and the current annual deployment rate of renewable electricity needs a boost. Pathways relying on international bioenergy imports are slightly cheaper and faces less economic and technical challenges. However, given the large future uncertainties, it is recommended that further policy considerations be given to pathways with high electrification levels as they are more robust towards uncertainties.
ABSTRACT
These data support the research article "Improving energy savings from a residential retrofit policy: a new model to inform better retrofit decisions" - (Mac Uidhir et al., 2019) [1]. This article presents 3 data sources which are utilised in conjunction with a detailed energy system model of the residential sector to explore policy pathways for residential retrofitting. Data is collected from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The first SEAI dataset is compiled for Ireland in compliance with the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) [2]. Data is collected using the Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP) [3]. DEAP is used to produce energy performance certificates known as Building Energy Ratings (BER). A BER indicates a buildings energy performance across a 15-point energy efficiency scale, rated alphabetically from A1 to G, in units of kWh/m2 year. A BER is required for new buildings and the rent or sale of existing dwellings - therefore the database has consistently grown in size since its inception in 2006. The BER database contains 735,906 records of individual dwellings. The database includes detailed building fabric information across a range of different building types, year of construction, Main/Secondary space/water heating fuels, heating system efficiency, ventilation method and structure type (Insulated concrete form, Masonry, Timber or Steel Frame). The second SEAI dataset (PWBER) contains aggregated pre and post BER information for a sample of 112,007 dwellings retrofitted during the period 2010-2015; this database contains mean energy efficiency improvement (kWh/m2 year) for a range of retrofit combinations as they apply to nine distinct building archetypes. The third CSO dataset is compiled from census data, representing the frequency of building types by year of construction.
ABSTRACT
These data and analyses support the research article "From technology pathways to policy roadmaps to enabling measures - A multi-model approach" Mulholland et al. (2017) [1]. This article uses 3 models - an optimization model of the Irish energy system (Irish TIMES), a simulation model of the Irish private transport sector (CarSTOCK), and a market share algorithm used to provide a behavior rich representation into the multi-modelling process. Each of these models are linked to provide a technology pathway, policy roadmap, and finally identify the enabling measures of the private transport sector in a low-carbon Ireland moving toward 2050. The article is organized in the same order, firstly providing the key modelling assumptions and operability of Irish TIMES, secondly for CarSTOCK, and finally for the market share algorithm. All data is supplied within this article.
