Evaluating the Energy Security Risks and Barriers to Electric Vehicle Adoption in Nova Scotia

Abstract

As jurisdictions seek to pursue transportation-based emissions reductions, they face the challenge of electrifying the vehicles that operate within them. In this work, jurisdiction-generic methods are defined for analyzing the risks of light duty vehicle electrification from an energy systems perspective. The methodology can be employed by jurisdictions to quantify the risks of electrification in terms of three energy security indicators (3As): availability, affordability, and acceptability. To demonstrate the methods, a case study is conducted to evaluate the three dimensions of energy security in Nova Scotia and identify the barriers to meeting the federal target of 30% EV sales shares by 2030. The results show that although Nova Scotia Power are prepared to accommodate the increase in electricity demand from EV uptake, the high costs of EVs relative to CVs still acts as a significant barrier to achieving increased EV uptake in Nova Scotia.