Thrust 2: Transport Energy Infrastructure

Research highlights from the CLEETS Thrust 2 team.

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This research thrust addresses the interconnections between transportation, energy systems, material supply chains, and climate resilience to enable a net-zero, place-based transport decarbonization strategy. It emphasizes a systems-level integration of transport with electricity, water, petrochemical, and mineral resource systems, avoiding emissions shifts and ensuring efficient resource use. The project highlights the growing reliance on critical raw materials in electric and hydrogen vehicle technologies and promotes a circular economy to manage end-of-life components and maintain material supply. Resilience to climate risks and extreme events is a central concern, prompting the development of place-based digital twin models, emission pathway forecasting, and adaptive strategies like vehicle-to-grid integration. The research will leverage tools such as the Powertrain Technology Transition Market Agent Model (PTTMAM), machine learning, and digital twins to simulate future energy-transportation scenarios and inform policy, infrastructure siting, and investment decisions. Three primary tasks will support this effort:

• Focus on transport decarbonization linked to electrical systems, exploring emissions trade-offs, resilience to grid blackouts, and charging demand forecasting through machine learning.
• Targets hydrogen-based transport solutions, developing a roadmap and hierarchical control systems for hydrogen production, storage, and use.
• Aim to establish a regional circular economy, analyzing material demand and the spatial distribution of recycling facilities to manage EV and hydrogen vehicle waste sustainably.

Across all tasks, stakeholder engagement and scenario testing across the Great Lakes, South Wales, and West Midlands regions will ensure transferability and scalability of solutions. The expected outcomes include actionable pathways for net-zero transport infrastructure, regional carbon budgeting, and integrated resilience strategies for future transportation systems.