How BEV Charging Strategies Contribute to Decarbonization

A study conducted by Ryosuke Kataoka et al. in collaboration with Energy System Integration, Social Cooperation Program, Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo was published in the Energy.

Integrating variable renewable energy (VRE) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is expected to be a climate change mitigation measure. The role of BEV charging strategies in climate change mitigation should be evaluated considering the variety of power generation mixes since decarbonization pathways consistent with climate goals are diverse.

This study assessed the effectiveness of BEV charging strategies under diverse Japanese decarbonization pathways using a long-term energy system planning model and a detailed time-resolved power system model. The results show that integrating BEVs and VRE consistently plays a critical role across all scenarios. Moreover, the contribution of BEV charging shifts over time—from supporting the efficient operation of thermal power plants to reduce CO₂ emissions in 2030, to avoiding the use of expensive synthetic fuels and thereby reducing production costs in 2050. The results have useful implications for policymakers and stakeholders in Japan and other countries with decarbonization pathways, high solar shares, and synthetic fuel costs.

Title: Changing Role of Battery Electric Vehicle Charging Strategies in Decarbonizing Japanese Power Systems
Authors: Kataoka, R., Ogimoto, K., Iwafune, Y., Nishi, T.
Journal Name: Energy
Published: May 4, 2025
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2025.136413