Summary
In light of the International Conference on Electric Vehicles and Battery Technologies occurring this week, it's important to identify the role EVs can play in small island nations' clean energy transition. At the University of Delaware’s Island Policy Lab, we are doing just that!
Do Electric Vehicles Allow Small Island Nations the Ability to Succeed in the Clean Energy Transition?
Small island nations are the nations most vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change. These nations face the effects of devastating natural disasters, rising sea levels, and natural resource degradation. Hence, there is growing interest in solutions to curb the potential impact that nations like small island nations face from increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While several tools are needed to mitigate the devastating effects of climate change, electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a potential key tool in the fight against climate change for small island nations.
This week, the International Conference on Electric Vehicles and Battery Technologies will take place from November 27th to 30th of this month, where leaders from across the world will come together to discuss various topics, from “Electric Vehicle Market Penetration in the United Arab Emirates” to “Design and Control Algorithms for Power Electronic Converters for EV Applications in Paris, France.” This is a perfect time to highlight how electric vehicles (EVs) can help shape the energy transition for small island nations.
At the University of Delaware, the Director of the University’s Island Policy Lab, Professor Kalim Shah, has extensive work and publications that pertain to small island nations and the energy transition. Most recently, he published a review, “Electric vehicle adoption in small island economies: Review from a technology transition perspective,” discussing the importance of EV adoption in small island nations. This review complements his previous publication, “Can Electric Vehicles Drive the Transport Revolution in Small Island States?” These publications seek to shed light on the opportunities electric vehicles create for small island nations looking to make the clean energy transition.
Small island nations have conditions that are beneficial to EV use, including (a) low travel distances, (b) costly fossil fuel imports, and (c) high potential for renewable energy generation (Shah et al., 2022). Range anxiety is a large concern for current EV technology drivers. Still, short travel distances limit the fear of being stranded due to the inefficient distribution of charging stations and the inability of the EV’s battery to power the car for the total distance of a journey (Shah, 2021). EVs have the opportunity to decrease small island nations’ reliance on costly fossil fuel imports, allowing for funding to be used for infrastructure, education, or other programs to help benefit the island. Finally, small island nations have a high potential for renewable energy, resulting in the ability to provide clean electricity for EV use. At the same time, EVs can act as additional batteries through V2G (vehicle-to-grid) technology (Shah et al., 2022).
It is important to note the development phases for EV implementation within small island nations. Professor Kalim Shah’s work clearly outlines where several small island nations fit in the EV development space, from pre-development, take-off, acceleration, and stabilization, to identify which countries need to update their Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) plans. Specific targets that need to be factored into these NDCs are lack of charging infrastructure, technical support capability, capacity, and standards (Shah et al., 2022).
Professor Kalim Shah has also outlined an eight-point action plan that clearly illustrates the framework for the EV transition in small island nations. (1) Small island nations need to set realistic and incremental goals for the future; (2) encourage the purchase of EVs through government incentives ranging from reducing taxes to home charging installations. (3) Invest in charging infrastructure to be placed in strategic locations; (4) focus on sector-level interventions such as tourism due to its enormous economic impact; (5) craft a comprehensive policy strategy for EVs that incorporates V2G, avoids damage to the grid, and promotes renewable energy stations. There is also a need to create efficiency standards for EVs and check them periodically (6), (7) promote public transportation and public awareness, and (8) avoid counteracting policies (Shah, 2021). EV development for small island nations goes beyond private vehicles to include the public transportation sector, with buses being the largest form of public transportation in small island nations.
Beyond this eight-stage plan, EVs can help build energy resilience in small island nations through the use of V2G in the wake of natural disasters or power outages that small islands might face. V2G would benefit small island nations as the system would reduce strain on the electricity grid, assist in peak demand shifts, and add additional battery storage (Shah et al., 2022). Investments in V2G infrastructure, including charging stations and technical maintenance training, would greatly benefit EV development in small island nations (Shah et al., 2022). At the University of Delaware, there is also a research team that is run by the pioneer of V2G, Professor Willet Kempton, whose research in V2G, in conjunction with Professor Kalim Shah’s work with small island nations, can help spur the EV revolution in small island nations to help reduce small island nations dependence on imported fossil fuels, preserve the environment, and boost the economy (Roberts, 2022).
References
Hill, J. S. (2023, June 14). Astypalea: Aegean Island goes fully electric with cars, ride share and Green Energy. The Driven. https://thedriven.io/2023/06/15/astypalea-aegean-island-goes-fully-electric-with-cars-ride-share-and-green-energy/
Roberts, K. B. (2021, March 22). Ahead of their time. UDaily. https://www.udel.edu/udaily/2021/march/ud-developed-vehicle-to-grid-technology-gains-traction/
Shah, K. (2021). Can electric vehicles drive the transport revolution in Small Island States? SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3951032
Shah, K. U., Awojobi, M., & Soomauroo, Z. (2022). Electric vehicle adoption in Small Island Economies: Review from a Technology Transition Perspective. WIREs Energy and Environment, 11(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/wene.432
- Walker Schwartz (This article was originally written on November 28, 2023).
Walker, a member of the Island Policy Lab, is a master’s candidate in energy and environmental policy at the University of Delaware.