Urban development, energy infrastructure and sustainable mobility (UDESMO)
Lead Research Organisation:
CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY
Department Name: School of Water, Energy and Environment
Abstract
Transition to electric mobility will have significant impacts on energy infrastructure planning and operations. On the other hand, urban development plays a crucial role in determining where the need may arise for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure. Yet to date, the interaction and dependency of energy infrastructure and urban development, alongside the impacts of EV policies are not explored. The aim of this network is to address this knowledge gap and the lack of connectivity and level of engagement between the UK and KR researchers through networking activities across the following disciplines: energy systems modelling, regional science, urban planning, electric mobility, energy justice and energy economics. The network's expertise is complemented further by the collaboration with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas on public policy.
| Description | The conference session we organised and the workshop we held in Oxford (both in 2022) highlighted key differences to policy making between UK and South Korea. The workshop and site visits to Seoul TOPIS and energy company gave us a grounded understanding of EV policies in South Korea. |
| Exploitation Route | We are working to write our findings in a journal article |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Energy Government Democracy and Justice Transport |
| Description | While the academic partners in UDESMO grant have expertise on transport planning and urban and regional development, they don't have much expertise on smart grids. During our visit to Seoul, I visited Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SNUT) which does a lot of applied work on smart grids. With colleagues from SNUT, we are discussing to develop joint work on the use of long term storage as part of Innovate UK - South Korea collaborative call for projects. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Energy,Government, Democracy and Justice,Transport |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | Lecture to MSc student |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | The students had limited knowledge about smart grids. At the end of the lecture, they talked about how their understanding of smart grids has changed. |
| Description | Cranfield Global Research Fund |
| Amount | £14,858 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Cranfield University |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2024 |
| End | 07/2024 |
| Description | MoU Center of Transport Research and Transport Studies Unit |
| Organisation | University of Seoul |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Following a visit and lecture by Prof Schwanen (Transport Studies Unit, Oxford) at the Center for Transport Research at the University of Seoul, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between that Department and the Transport Studies Unit in June 2023. To date, Prof Schwanen has made a separate research visit to the Center for Transport Research to develop collaboration and give another lecture to graduate students. Prof Schwanen will also act as host of a six-month visit by a PhD student from the Center for Transport Research later in 2024. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Prof Lee, Director of the Center of Transport Research at the University of Seoul, visited Oxford to give a lecture in the autumn of 2023. He hosted Prof Schwanen in December 023 and has extended the opportunity for Prof Schwanen to join a consortium that will bid for a research centre competition in South Korea later in 2024. |
| Impact | A seminar by Prof Lee at the Transport Studies Unit and lectures on vehicle automation and just transitions in electric urban mobility by Prof Schwanen at the Center for Transport Research |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Electric vehicles, urban development and energy infrastructure: comparative perspectives from the UK and South Korea |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | We held a 2-day workshop in Oxford where the first day was dedicated to early career researcher presentations. The second day was dedicated to presentations from national and local policy makers in South Korea and the UK. While the participants from South Korea joined remotely, the UK participation was represented by BEIS and Oxfordshire County Council. There were around 20 people attending both days of the workshop. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/events/events-2022/electric-vehicles |
| Description | Electrification of transport in cities and regions: deepening spatial disparities or an opportunity for economic growth? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We held a special session at European Regional Science Association conference, 23-26 August 2022 in Hungary. Early career researchers (PhD students, post-doctoral researchers) and established academics with around 30-40 people attended the special session. There were lively discussions taking place in understanding how urban development and transport electrification policy drivers were different across the USA, South Korea and the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://az659834.vo.msecnd.net/eventsairwesteuprod/production-ersa-public/dca732d06323427f9223e05d2c... |
| Description | Engagement with Seoul National University of Science and Technology (23/5/2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We visited Seoul National University of Science and Technology to meet with Prof Young Il (head of Digital Control System Lab) and Mr Jong Cheon Son who is ISGAN Co-Secretariat, Head of International Cooperation Team, Korea Smart Grid Institute to find out more about the development of smart grids in South Korea. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | International Research Workshop on Social Acceptance of Smart Mobility Solutions (19/5/2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Around 20 people attended this international workshop that was organised by Dr Jinhee Kim at Yonsei University. Following two presentations, there was a panel debate with the participation of academics from Hanyang University, Korea Research Institute for Local Administration and Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Visiting Bright Energy Partners |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We visited BEP offices in a field trip organised by Seoul National University on 24 May 2023. The company showed us the EV chargers they install and presented their work on EV infrastructure policy in South Korea. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Visiting SEOUL Transport Operation and Information Service |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Seoul National University organised a site visit to SEOUL Transport Operation and Information Service where they presented the online dashboard that controls and monitors Seoul's transport system |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Workshop at Seoul National University (22/5/2023) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | A workshop took place at Seoul National University, Seoul on 22/5/2023 with presentation from national organisations, including Korea Transport Institute (KOTI), Jeju Island Smart Grid Demonstration and an EV charging station developer, BEP (Bright Energy Partners, https://www.bepsolar.com/Main/main). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |