Table 2 Comparison of the characteristics of present (fossil fuel dependent) and future (electrified) grid-transportation systems
From: Unveiling sectoral coupling for resilient electrification of the transportation sector
Category | Fossil-fuel supply chain | Electricity supply chain |
|---|---|---|
Energy independence | Depends on global imports and exports of crude oil; shortage of supply impacts the entire economy. | With increased clean energy adoption, the nation will be relieved of its interdependence on the global crude oil market. |
Coupling betweensectors | Dependent on electricity for refining, pumping, dispensing, etc. | EVs are completely dependent on the electricity sector, and with clean energy adoption, fossil-fuel needs for power production will be reduced. |
Production location | Only well sites and refineries; fossil fuels may be imported. | Spread throughout the nation, and distributed energy resources (DERs) can be local. |
Dependence ontransportation | Highly dependent on 190,000 miles of pipelines; 1000s of rail cars, vessels, barges, and 100,000 tanker trucks for fuel distribution; a massive amount of fossil fuel consumed for transporting finished motor gasoline. | Dependence on electricity infrastructure; with a reduction in fossil-fuel-based generation, dependence on pipelines and the transportation sector for the supply chain will be further reduced. |
Transmission speed | Days to weeks. | Close to the speed of light. |
Energy storage | Massive storage of crude and refined oil exists. | Energy storage is currently sparse and limited. |
Strategic reserve | Helps relieve rare situations of acute shortage. | Distributed storage facilities are available; however, strategic storage similar to the SPR does not exist. |
On-premises energy replenishment | Some industrial and commercial entities may have on-premises refueling. | Most residential, commercial, and industrial entities may primarily depend on on-premises recharging (continually increasing). |
Market dynamics | Fossil fuel cost is market based and “controlled/set” by a multinational oil cartel. | Electricity price is mostly region/location based and often is highly regulated or monitored. |
Point-of-sale experience | Fossil refueling experience is standardized, fast, and accessible. | EV charging has a competing set of charger and platform formats. |
