Work

System Dynamics Simulation of Energy Transitions in Buses and Intermediate Public Transport for Urban Sustainability: A Case Study of Chennai City

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Chennai’s transport sector is undergoing a structural transition as the city seeks to accommodate rapidly growing travel demand while reducing energy consumption and emissions. This study develops a city-scale system dynamics model using STELLA to simulate long-term transitions in bus and Intermediate Public Transport (IPT) systems over the period 2011–2038. Four policy scenarios—Do Minimum, Partial, Desirable, and Ideal—are evaluated to examine how fleet expansion, propulsion technology substitution, and service restructuring influence urban transport energy sustainability. The model integrates demographic growth, service-level fleet benchmarks, and multiple propulsion pathways, including diesel, CNG, LPG, bio-CNG, hydrogen, and battery- and solar-electric technologies.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su18020910

Authors: Rathiga Jeganathan, Dilibabu Ramalingam

Institution: Anna University, Chennai

Language: English

Topic: Transportation Planning and Optimization

Subfield: Transportation

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, Sustainable cities and communities, Climate action, Affordable and clean energy

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896