The accelerating impacts of climate change and rising global energy demand have intensified the urgency for sustainable solutions across critical sectors, with transportation emerging as one of the highest contributors to carbon emissions worldwide. Conventional fossil fuel-based transport systems account for a significant share of greenhouse gas output, leading to urban air pollution, climate risks, and long-term ecological imbalance. To address these challenges, the integration of renewable energy technologies into transportation infrastructure has become a strategic priority, aligning environmental goals with energy security and technological innovation. At a broader level, renewable energy adoption in transportation represents a systemic transition, combining clean power generation, smart infrastructure, and sustainable urban mobility planning. This includes the use of solar-powered charging stations, wind-assisted rail systems, biofuels, and grid-interactive electric vehicle platforms that reduce dependence on conventional fuels. From a narrower perspective, the emphasis lies in designing transport infrastructures such as highways, rail networks, and ports that embed renewable generation and storage capabilities while leveraging digital optimization tools for demand forecasting and energy balancing. The long-term environmental resilience of such systems rests not only on reducing carbon footprints but also on improving adaptability to climate shocks, enhancing regional energy independence, and ensuring cost efficiency for governments and citizens. Ultimately, integrating renewable energy technologies into transportation infrastructure represents a decisive pathway for nations to achieve sustainable development targets, improve air quality, and foster innovative mobility ecosystems. The approach bridges engineering, environmental policy, and socio-economic planning, ensuring that transportation networks evolve into low-carbon, resilient systems capable of supporting future generations.
Oshilalu et al. (Fri,) studied this question.