Energies, Vol. 18, Pages 6014: Net-Zero and Multimodal Mobility Project Through PV-Battery-EV in the Amazon
Energies doi: 10.3390/en18226014
Authors:
Bruno Santana de Albuquerque
Ayrton Lucas Lisboa do Nascimento
Maria Emília de Lima Tostes
Ubiratan Holanda Bezerra
Carminda Célia Moura de Moura Carvalho
Jonathan Muñoz Tabora
The global transition toward sustainable mobility and renewable energy integration demands intelligent energy management frameworks capable of coupling electric mobility, distributed generation, and energy storage. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of the SIMA Project (Sistema Inteligente Multimodal da Amazônia), an innovative mobility pilot implemented at the Federal University of Pará, Brazil. The SIMA consists of the monitoring building, photovoltaic systems, lithium-based energy storage systems, and electric transportation modes (including urban and intercity buses, as well as a solar-powered catamaran), all interconnected within a microgrid. Field monitoring, data processing, and simulation analyses were conducted to assess energy performance, consumption patterns, and the operational feasibility of these electric systems under Amazonian conditions. The results indicate that the PV systems supply most of the SIMA’s demand, with the laboratory building accounting for 70% of total consumption and electric vehicles for 30%. Simulated full operation scenarios reveal the potential for near net-zero energy balance when energy management strategies are applied to generation, storage and charging. The findings demonstrate the technical viability of integrated mobility–energy systems in tropical contexts and provide practical insights for future low-carbon transport infrastructures in isolated or city-scale networks.