Transport Energy Atlas of Sofia: Evaluating Present and Low Energy Scenarios Using Private Vehicle Traffic Data

Abstract. Urbanisation has a significant impact on transport, energy consumption, and climate change, presenting several challenges for cities in terms of sustainable urban development. As cities grow, the demand for transport increases, resulting in more vehicles on the road, higher fuel consumption and increased energy use, causing air pollution and urban heat risks. To address these issues, this study proposes combining TomTom Traffic Stats data and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) methods to develop a comprehensive Transport Energy Atlas of Sofia. Two energy cases are considered: present and low energy. In the present case, fuel vehicles and electric vehicles (EVs) are 90% and 10%, respectively, while in the low-energy case, the proportions reversed to 10% fuel and 90% EVs. The traffic of private vehicles over a range of temporal and spatial scales is investigated. The results demonstrate considerable fluctuations in traffic, with the highest levels of congestion and energy consumption occurring during the morning and evening rush hours in central business districts and significant congestion in Sofia. In the low energy case, the energy consumption in areas with a high concentration of vehicles and heavy traffic decreases more than twice compared to the present case due to the shift of EVs from 10% to 90%. The results suggest that policies or incentives to promote the uptake of EVs could play a crucial role in reducing the energy consumption and environmental impact of urban transport systems.