THALESruhr - Transfer Project 2: Micromobility and Energy

The THALESruhr project—“Transfer Hub for the Advancement, Livability, and Efficacy of Sustainability Transformations”—at Bochum University of Applied Sciences aims to embed the university’s commitment to sustainable social development, particularly in the Ruhr Metropolis region, into its institutional profile and to expand its role in the regional innovation system. Metropolitan regions such as the Ruhr Metropolis face major challenges in the areas of mobility, energy, urban ecology, sustainable living and economic activity, and healthcare. To address these challenges, system-level solutions are being sought to enable the region—as a hub for energy- and resource-intensive industries—to fulfill its responsibility toward the climate and the environment, transform the Ruhr Metropolis into a sustainable and livable region, and assume a pioneering role on the international stage. The THALESruhr project is divided into a total of twelve transfer projects under the THALESruhr transfer approach, as well as the Transfer Hub, which functions as a management and service unit.

Transfer Project 2, “Micromobility and Energy,” based at the Laboratory for Sustainability in Engineering and led by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Semih Severengiz, develops concepts—in collaboration with relevant stakeholders—to ensure the long-term viability of e-micromobility services and the associated charging infrastructure. Particular emphasis is placed on designing services to meet user needs (user-centered design) and on researching—and, where appropriate, increasing—societal acceptance of e-micromobility as a potential catalyst for a sustainable and future-proof transformation of the transportation sector. To ensure the long-term sustainability of the service, the project evaluates not only the sustainability impact but also the economic viability of the concept and develops strategies for its continued operation.

Suburban areas often lack sustainable mobility solutions, such as those needed to bridge the “last mile.” The transition toward sustainable mobility is a broad field that is significantly influenced by the diversity of spatial conditions as well as the individual mobility needs of users. In numerous city centers across Germany, innovative micromobility services—which can serve as sustainable alternatives to established forms of mobility—are increasingly being offered. These include e-mopeds, pedelecs, and e-cargo bikes, all of which can make an important contribution to the transformation of the transportation sector. However, there is currently insufficient supply to support widespread use of light electric vehicles (LEVs), as well as a lack of adequate parking and charging infrastructure for them. The causes of this range from a lack of acceptance and the resulting reluctance of residents to use these services to acts of vandalism. Added to this are the economic challenges faced by companies in providing sharing services—including the necessary infrastructure in a financially viable manner.

The city of Bergkamen was brought on board as a project partner to implement the real-world lab. We expect this collaboration to provide valuable insights for the project’s further development. The city of Bergkamen is particularly well-suited for implementing the project, as it has already offered numerous participatory formats with the support of a planning office and held discussions with representatives of the respective groups. This has made it possible to identify the needs of relevant stakeholder groups regarding the project. Through planning walks, bike tours, intergenerational workshops, a broad-based household survey, and an online survey, the requirements for designing the new mobility offering were identified. In consultation with the Climate Protection and Mobility Office in Bergkamen, the results of the participatory sessions were evaluated and translated into a concept that takes into account the city of Bergkamen’s mobility strategy. The primary objective here was to use the new service to boost bicycle use overall. Furthermore, the goal is to make it more appealing for residents to use local public transportation (ÖPNV) instead of private cars. The public engagement sessions revealed that residents of Bergkamen often lack satisfactory public transit connections to their daily destinations. According to some participants, even the trip to the central bus station with connections to Kamen and, from there, to Dortmund or Hamm—is a challenge due to the infrequent schedule of city buses.

To bridge such supply gaps, the real-world lab is utilizing solar charging stations, two of which have been installed at more out-of-the-way locations with limited public transportation access. These locations are also of heightened public interest (the City Museum and the recreation center). A third station was installed at the central location of Town Hall Square to ensure connectivity to the bus terminal. Additionally, a fleet of electric bicycles and cargo bikes is being provided, which users can rent free of charge during the pilot phase. The solar charging stations supply power to the provided fleet and are also available for citizens to use free of charge. This gives them the opportunity to use their own light electric vehicles (LEVs) more frequently, as a quick charge at one of the stations can significantly increase the vehicle’s range. The combination of charging infrastructure and vehicles is intended to enable residents to increasingly choose eco-friendly modes of transportation (cycling, public transit, walking) and thus contribute to Bergkamen’s goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2040.

A stakeholder analysis and a social space analysis were conducted to assess the project environment. The stakeholder analysis identified not only groups such as the general public and city administration but also other stakeholders who can contribute to the project’s further development and increased acceptance.

The social space analysis provides the basis for spatial planning. As a result, potential locations were examined in terms of their connectivity to the public transit stop network.