Promoting Sustainable Mobility and Inclusion via Renewable Charging Stations for Light Electric Vehicles, Case Study: Favignana Island

Abstract

The paper presents a study on promoting sustainable mobility and social inclusion through renewable-powered charging stations for light electric vehicles (LEVs) on Favignana Island, Italy. The study proposes the use of transportable, stand-alone charging stations powered by photovoltaic panels, in response to tourism peaks in an environment in which traditional fixed charging points would be expensive and almost impractical. The study compares the economical advantages of mobile stations with fixed Points of Delivery (PODs), considering CAPEX and OPEX indicators, but also the stations’ installation freedom, cost-effectiveness, and potential to reduce impact in terms of environmental disruption. Key findings indicate that the stations are more viable for smaller user bases but can face high operational cost challenges. The paper concludes with some recommendations about efforts to minimize these costs in order to be more competitive compared with traditional solutions and installations.