Behavior matters: A systematic review of representing consumer mobility choices in energy models. (August 2022) - Luh, Sandro
Abstract: Consumer behavior is gaining increased attention for climate mitigation efforts, especially in the transportation sector. Thus, representing consumer mobility behavior in energy models is being strengthened to simulate realistic future vehicle and mode choices. This work focuses on two widespread concepts that modelers apply: (1) endogenous integration of mobility behavior in standalone energy models and (2) coupling complementary models to reflect behavioral dimensions through data exchange. This systematic review conducted four steps leading to 44 publications that apply such concepts to target consumer mobility behavior. First, we summarize the methodological approaches for each concept by describing the trends in implementing mobility behavior in models. Second, we discuss the challenges, limitations, and opportunities of both concepts to compare their values. We find that endogenously representing mobility behavior in energy system models offers simplicity and complements their techno-economic perspective. However, this concept faces methodological limitations when translating behavioral attributes into monetary values. Model coupling can combine different perspectives on the transport and energy system but adds computational and methodological complexity. We conclude that standalone models are favorable for representing stylized parameters of consumer behavior, such as travel time and money budgets and electric charging infrastructure accessibility that can be generalized for consumer groups. Model coupling becomes superior when the impacts on the energy system of multifaceted mobility behaviors, such as preferences of individual consumers and actors of the transport system, are assessed in more detail. Nonetheless, both concepts should be viewed as complementary to overcome their limitations while merging their strengths. Highlights: Systematic literature study on methods to represent mobility behavior in energy models Endogenous integration measures and model coupling approaches are reviewed Limitations, challenges, and opportunities for both concepts are discussed Endogenous integration is favorable for representing light forms of stylized parameters Model coupling becomes superior when assessing more multifaceted mobility behaviors Both concepts should be viewed as complementary to merge their strengths