Tuesday February 18th in room M208, Albert Alonso Villar will present his PhD dissertation called "Decarbonising Road Freight Transport in Iceland: A Feasibility Assessment Under Harsh Climate Conditions in Remote Regions". All are welcome, celebration to take place after defense.

Teams link here

• Student: Albert Alonso Villar
• Supervisor: Hlynur Stefánsson, Reykjavík University
• Co-Supervisor: Eyjólfur Ingi Ásgeirsson, Reykjavík University and Ragnar Kristjánsson, Reykjavík University

Committee

• Brynhildur Davíðsdóttir, University of Iceland

Examiner

• Dr. Iva Ridjan Skov, Associate Professor at Aalborg University, Denmark
• Dr. Hussein Basma, Researcher on Heavy Duty Vehicles at the International Council on Clean Transport Germany

Abstract:

This thesis investigates the challenges of decarbonising road freight transport in Iceland, focusing on the unique conditions posed by the country's geography, climate, and energy infrastructure. This study begins with a comprehensive assessment of alternative fuel options for heavy-duty trucks, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, total cost of ownership (TCO), energy security, technical feasibility, and air pollutant emissions, followed by a detailed battery-electric truck (BET) performance assessment under harsh conditions and applicability study, a model to optimise charging infrastructure development and routing times, and, lastly, a power grid assessment to identify potential required upgrades to accommodate a 100% BET fleet in Iceland.

Battery-electric trucks (BETs) emerge as a leading solution for reducing emissions and improving energy security in Iceland’s freight sector, particularly for short-haul operations, although current battery technology limitations pose significant challenges for long-haul and regional routes. The results highlight that adverse climatic conditions, such as low temperatures, headwinds, and variable payloads, can reduce BET range by up to 47%, complicating their use in demanding environments. While short-haul routes could be electrified even in difficult conditions, the optimal development of fast-charging infrastructure is critical for the decarbonisation of long-haul freight routes, particularly in low-traffic and remote areas. Using the freight routes from Reykjavík and the Westfjords as case study, this research demonstrates that larger battery capacities and high-power chargers can significantly reduce charging times, in ways that could be aligned with freight schedules.

Lastly, a model of the Icelandic power grid is developed to investigate the potential bottlenecks of the grid, regarding the additonal loads derived from charging trucks and peak demand. Different strategies are studied to accommodate the load (e.g. on-site battery storage to meet peak demand, substation connections, revised routing schedules). This study identifies the potential upgrades of the grid infrastructure and carries out an economic assessment, addressing the actual cost of having a 100% BET fleet in Iceland.

Overall, this research highlights the complexity of decarbonising Iceland’s freight fleet. The findings provide critical insights for policymakers, fleet operators, and energy planners aiming to electrify freight transport in challenging environments, with broader implications for remote and low-traffic regions worldwide.