Electromobility and Renewable Electricity: Developing Infrastructure for Synergies

Electrification of transport is a central pillar of the much-needed emission reductions in the transport sector, along with a strong shift toward public transport, walking, and cycling. It will require a substantial scaling up of renewable electricity to contribute to the decarbonization of the energy and transport sectors. While decarbonized economies have great benefits, the transition to get there holds some challenges.

Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) encounter more pronounced challenges, as they often face substantial development needs in the intertwined power and transport sectors. While countries make choices on how they use their resources, developing renewable electricity and e-mobility together offer synergies that allow investments to be optimized rather than allow for compromises.

It is important to explore the interdependencies and synergies of developing e-mobility and renewable electricity. The three articles presented in this paper address the relevance of sector modeling to inform long-term strategies for decarbonizing energy and transport; the opportunities of integrating road transport electrification and the development of renewable electricity; and the potential synergies between railway electrification and grid expansion. They illustrate examples from Latin America, Africa, and Asia.