‘Tactical Urbanism’ – Pop-up COVID-19 bike lanes increased biking, reduced NOx exposure
In the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic, “pop-up” bike lanes in Berlin contributed to an increase in bike traffic and a reduction in exposure to pollutants for cyclists, according to a new study.
At the start of the ongoing pandemic, many cities around Europe rushed to implement temporary bike lanes which would allow increased bike usage as the public avoided shared transport options. These temporary bike lanes were built much faster than traditional infrastructure projects, which can take years.
As a result, behavioral changes could be measured more quickly than in normal infrastructure projects. Previous studies showed that pop-up bike lanes increased cycling by 42% in cities that implemented them, even when controlling for a general increase in cycling during the pandemic.
This study primarily focused on a particular street in Berlin, Kottbusser Damm, and also measured exposure to nitrogen dioxide, one of the main contributors to smog, a majority of which is produced by fossil-fuel transportation emissions. It found a 22% decrease in NO₂ exposure along Kottbusser Damm, one of the first of these bike lanes implemented. Side streets connecting to Kottbusser Damm did not see similar reductions, showing that the bike lane itself contributed to this decrease, rather than the decrease as a result of the COVID pandemic as a whole.
Bike traffic increased by 73% on Kottbusser Damm over the course of 2020, compared to a 20-23% increase in Berlin as a whole. The highest peak of usage was in May 2020, when the lane was new, which showed a year-over-year increase of 141% from May 2019.
The swift nature of these changes (which the study authors called “tactical urbanism”) was made possible by broad agreement and cooperation between the various entities involved which were all interested in moving quickly due to COVID. It shows how a crisis can cut through red tape to make positive changes more rapidly.
The Berlin public was found to support the new bike lanes – at least, pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport users did. Car drivers, however, mostly opposed them, thinking they would increase traffic jams or decrease parking availability. (Apparently owning 90% of the width of the roads is not enough – cars must own 100% of them.) But the study results show a reduction in vehicle pollutants, suggesting that traffic jams were not increased by the presence of pop-up bike lanes.
The study suggests that temporary and experimental changes like this could help urban planners learn more about what solutions would work and how to implement those solutions more quickly – and then, if they work, to make them permanent. This is important given the rapid changes required in society to combat many current and increasing transportation-related problems, including climate change and Europe’s current energy crisis.
Electrek’s Take
This may seem like a “duh” result, but it’s still important to confirm and quantify assumptions that we have about these things so that we can find the best and fastest ways to combat climate change.
While we focus a lot on electric cars here, it is true that cars, regardless of if they are electric, are a big waste of space compared to bikes, public transport, and walking. Bicycles are the most efficient land transportation humanity has ever invented, so implementing measures to increase bicycle usage is good thing for society’s overall energy use.
Image: Wikipedia
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Leading electric vehicle analyst, author, and industry thought leaders Loren McDonald and Bill Ferro stop by Quick Charge to discuss EV Adoption’s acquisition by Paren, the “crisis” of EV charging reliability, and the real state of the EV market.
Depending on who you listen, EVs are either driving brands to record growth and are about cross that critical 10% of the overall market nationwide, or the future is bleak, the market is down, and EVs just aren’t selling. What’s really going on? Loren and Bill (probably) have some answers.
Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations site wide. Click here to learn more.
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Read more: All my favorite EVs, racecars, and robots from Electrify Expo Austin.
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Chevy EV owners in Texas who have Reliant as their electric utility can now charge for free at night with renewable energy.
Over 150 Chevrolet dealerships across Texas are now offering the Reliant Free Charge Nights plan to new EV buyers. With Free Charge Nights, customers can offset their charging costs by receiving credits for electricity used between 11 pm and 6 am. The plan is powered entirely by renewable energy, thanks to the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs).
Rasesh Patel, president of NRG Consumer, says the plan is about making power personal: “We’re excited to help Chevrolet EV drivers offset the cost of charging their vehicle all while having access to a renewable electricity plan.”
This collaboration aims to make EV adoption more appealing by making charging cheaper and greener. GM Energy’s chief revenue officer, Aseem Kapur, emphasized that partnerships like this help build the ecosystem needed to support an all-electric future: “The Reliant Free Charge Nights plan is a great example of how an automaker and an energy company can work together to make EV adoption an easy decision.”
Existing Reliant customers can also sign up for the Free Charge Nights plan. To get started, Chevrolet EV owners need to designate their vehicle on the GM Energy Smart Charging Portal before enrolling in the plan.
Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, serves over 1.5 million customers in Texas, making it one of the largest electricity providers in the state.
Read more: Texas to get 1 GW AI-powered virtual power plant, enough to power 200,000 homes
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Texas is about to get a major power boost – a new AI-powered virtual power plant (VPP) delivering capacity equivalent to 200,000 homes during peak demand.
NRG Energy is teaming up with Renew Home to bring nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity to the Texas grid by 2035, aiming to make it more resilient while helping residents save on energy costs.
The new VPP will rely on hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats and other connected home devices, making use of AI technology provided by Google Cloud. These devices, like Vivint and Nest smart thermostats, will be offered to eligible customers at no cost. By automating HVAC adjustments, they help shift energy use to when electricity is cheaper, cleaner, and less strained.
NRG and Renew Home have big plans for the VPP. Starting in spring 2025, the companies plan to roll out the program across Texas, installing these smart thermostats in homes served by NRG’s retail electricity providers. Eventually, they plan to add home battery storage and EVs to expand the power plant’s capabilities.
Texas has faced record-breaking energy demands, with peak usage hitting 85 GW in 2023. As the state’s population grows and extreme weather becomes more frequent, VPPs like this one could play a key role in stabilizing the grid. VPPs aggregate a lot of small-scale energy resources, from smart thermostats to home batteries, and use them to help balance supply and demand during times of high stress on the grid.
This nearly 1 GW VPP will be one of the largest of its kind in Texas. NRG’s president of consumer operations, Rasesh Patel, calls it a “pivotal step” for improving customer experience while making Texas’ energy infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.
In addition to Renew Home, NRG is working with Google Cloud to maximize the power plant’s effectiveness. Google Cloud’s AI and analytics tools will help predict weather conditions, forecast renewable generation, and optimize energy usage, all of which will help make energy management smoother for both customers and the grid.
Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home, said:
NRG’s commitment to creating a more resilient and sustainable energy future while also making electricity bills more affordable makes them an ideal partner for co-developing this unique VPP program.
This initiative raises the bar for future-proofing our electricity infrastructure and delivering cost savings to customers.
Read: Chinese solar giant Trina sells its Texas factory a week after it opens
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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
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