ERS – CLOSED SYSTEM
At the beginning of ERS deployment, when the systems are still immature, the systems will be more suitable for closed transportation systems. Examples of closed systems are bus loops or mining transportation applications where the routes are predictable and relatively easy to service and maintain. In closed systems, system integration is easier because only a single operator is involved.
ERS – OPEN SYSTEM
When ERS has been proven to operate in closed systems at the same level of quality as traditional systems and when the market uncertainties have decreased, commercial ERS operations could evolve into an open system operating on the highway. The electrification of highways will finally be a political decision because highways in most countries are public and financed with public funds.
Open systems, such as transportation corridors and highways, carry large transport volumes and are important nodes in the transportation system. Such open systems are also regarded as the main challenge when it comes to mitigating environmental impacts. In fact, to reduce fossil fuel dependency, ERS or alternative zero-emission technologies must be implemented in large-scale open systems.
An open system will involve multiple operators and no transport operation could be considered typical. Instead, there is a wide geographical distribution of electric roads involving interaction with various types of user behavior. Having multiple users and types of vehicles simultaneously operating on electric roads entails large challenges in managing the complexity of the large-scale introduction of ERS and system integration is much more complicated.