ECONOMIC MODELS OF INTEGRATING TRANSPORT ASSETS INTO ENERGY SYSTEMS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the generalization of models for integrating transport assets into energy systems based on an empirical analysis of international practices across twenty countries worldwide. It examines the transformation of the transport sector, in which rolling stock and infrastructure are increasingly regarded as assets capable of providing energy services and generating new value creation models. The comparative analysis is conducted along technical and economic dimensions within three conceptual frameworks: the use of transport as a mobile energy storage system (V2G/V2X), transport infrastructure as an element of energy generation (I2G, including photovoltaics and energy recovery systems), and the harvesting of ambient energy from road surfaces (energy harvesting). It is demonstrated that the digital aggregation of these distributed resources into virtual power plants (VPPs) and smart grids enables access to wholesale electricity markets. Key economic mechanisms of monetization are classified along four dimensions: capitalization of low-utilization assets, internalization of positive externalities, and multi-channel revenue diversification. In addition, institutional models of project governance and financing are identified. Regulatory, institutional, investment, and technical barriers to the scaling of such technologies are also outlined. Special attention is paid to the strategic prospects of Ukraine. It is argued that, under conditions of low private demand, capital shortages, and publicly owned infrastructure, infrastructure-oriented solutions are the most effective for the country. Three priority directions for implementation within the framework of post-war recovery are identified: regenerative braking energy in urban electric transport, rooftop photovoltaics on depot facilities, and bidirectional charging of municipal vehicle fleets. The implementation of these solutions would enhance national energy security through decentralization.


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