Integrated Citywide Model of Vehicle Electrification

Singapore aims to phase out internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2040. This vision would involve a large-scale multi-agency effort to provide adequate charging infrastructure, electrify public vehicles, promote private vehicle transition and upgrade the electrical grid to accommodate the new demand. The authorities, therefore need to find an optimal way of charging infrastructure deployment by ensuring adequate supply to encourage electric vehicle (EV) adoption whilst balancing against overprovisioning for adequate utilisation. They would also need to explore various technology pathways and identify deployment scenarios that could reduce stranded assets in the face of disruptive technologies.

The Singapore Integrated Transport & Energy Model (SITEM) is the first high-fidelity, island-wide simulation of EVs in Singapore. It aims to support Singapore’s planning for the transition to EVs nationwide. Developed as a collaboration between A*STAR’s Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC) and TUMCREATE Ltd, SITEM integrates multiple aspects of mobility and energy modelling to deliver insights on how Singapore could efficiently deploy and manage infrastructure for EV charging. These insights would potentially bring downstream savings on infrastructure upgrades and allow public agencies to enhance overall commuter satisfaction.

Features

Modelling of charging behaviour and preferences of EV drivers
Optimisation of EV charging stations placement based on drivers’ charging needs
Detailed transport simulation of the entire Singapore island
Digital twin model of the electrical grid network of Singapore and optimisation of EV charging to reduce peak load

The Science Behind

SITEM employs advanced capabilities in large-scale complex systems modelling and optimisation, high performance and distributed computing, advanced data analytics and empirically grounded agent-based modelling of human behaviour. It builds on two primary simulation technologies to model the mobility and energy systems:

City Mobility Simulator (CityMoS)is a high-performance agent-based simulation of all relevant electrified modes of transport in the entire city of Singapore.
Multi Energy System Modelling & Optimisation (MESMO) is an advanced software framework that combines power flow analysis of electrical grids and optimisation techniques to mitigate grid impact of distributed energy resources (i.e., photovoltaics) and flexible loads (i.e., EV charging).

Overview of SITEM Model Components
(Image: Institute of High Performance Computing and TUMCREATE)

Advanced analytics and optimisation extract insights from data, models, and simulations, to improve the placement of charging stations, and efficiently allocate upgrades across the power grid.

Industry Applications

The various capabilities in data-driven transport and energy systems modelling developed during the course of the SITEM project can also be applied towards smaller scale industry applications including facility and fleet charging infrastructure planning as well as management of distributed energy resources from a building or district level perspective.

Urban Solutions & Sustainability

Integrated Citywide Model of Vehicle Electrification

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