Work

A System-Level Planning Framework for Rooftop Photovoltaic-Based Vehicle Fleet Electrification Under Seasonal and Spatial Constraints

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: As global efforts to decarbonize the transportation sector intensify, integrating renewable energy sources into electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure has become a critical challenge, particularly under strong temporal mismatches between generation and demand. This study evaluates the potential of urban rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems in Israel to support full electrification of the private vehicle fleet using a planning-oriented modeling framework that links energy supply, transport demand, and seasonal variability. Current annual fleet demand is estimated at 14 TWh, based on both internal combustion vehicle replacement and EV-specific consumption. A three-stage modeling framework is applied. First, national vehicle data are used to estimate total electricity demand. Second, rooftop PV generation potential is calculated using a monthly irradiance model, rooftop availability data, and system-level efficiency factors. Under these assumptions, residential rooftop PV could generate up to 81 TWh per year, corresponding to approximately 44 km2 of usable rooftop area. Third, temporal matching between supply and demand is evaluated, with explicit focus on intra-annual variability rather than only annual energy balance. Winter irradiance declines to approximately 45% of summer levels, while maintaining continuous charging requires approximately 38 GWh of energy storage. These results show that system feasibility is constrained by winter minimum generation rather than annual energy balance. The findings highlight that large-scale rooftop PV-based electrification is primarily limited by a temporal mismatch between generation and demand. This shifts the evaluation of PV-EV integration from a static annual energy perspective to a temporal system-design problem. This underscores the importance of integrating storage, grid flexibility, and system-level planning when evaluating the role of distributed PV in supporting electrified transport.

Source: Inventions

DOI: 10.3390/inventions11030048

Authors: Or Yatzkan, Orit Rotem-Mindali, Reuven Cohen, Eyal Yaniv, David Burg

Institutions: Bar-Ilan University, Tel Hai Academic College, Rockefeller University

Language: English

Topic: Electric Vehicles and Infrastructure

Subfield: Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

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

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,172