IEEE Electrification Magazine - June 2018 - 17

ities with substantial population
potentially leads to significant economic losses and lack of
growth continue to encounter economic,
preparedness in critical and disastrous circumstances.
social, and environmental challenges in
Figure 4 depicts typical traffic congestion in developing
their daily operations. Figure 1 shows how
countries; well-developed urban areas like Chicago reprethe urban population, in which more than
sent some of the most overcrowded transportation hubs
55% of the globe's people currently live, has nearly quain the world. in such locations, the individual driver's ecodrupled since the 1950s. Globally, urbanization is expectnomic opportunity is estimated at us$24/h culminated to encompass 70% of the world population by 2050,
ing in over 302 million h of travel delays, with a total
resulting in an unprecedented increase in the consumpcongestion cost of us$7,222 million in Chicago in 2014.
tion of existing resources. Figure 2 displays the substantial
these numbers highlight significant lapses in economic
growth in greenhouse gas emissions around the world
productivity and social contentment, considering the
from 1995 to 2015. this growth has led to public outcry
number of cities in north america that have major
demanding that societies curb their dependence on fossil
traffic congestion.
fuel consumption to limit global warming. in fact, major
For example, approximately 25% of the water supply in
cities' usage of fossil fuels constitutes 75% of global
major u.s. cities is lost through leaks in legacy water pipes
energy resource use and accounts for 70% of global
(Figure 5), indicating that water supply systems in several
greenhouse gas emissions, despite occupying only
cities require a major overhaul. the vast majority of innerapproximately 5% of the planet's total land mass. Rapid
city power distribution lines (Figure 6) were constructed in
urbanization also contributes to multiple types of serious
the 1950s and 1960s and have already surpassed their
environmental pollutants (e.g., air, soil, and water), which
50-year life expectancy. the legacy electric power infraaffect the people's health and the quality of life. Figure 3
structure has already proved its frangibility, especially as it
shows the possible contamination of urban water
faces extreme weather events. on 14 august 2003, new
resources when industrial chemicals and sewage are
York City was hit with a massive power blackout, the
drained into waterways.
result of cascading failures of electric power system comthe optimal management of major cities could play a
ponents, in which 8 million local citizens suffered prokey role in orchestrating the global response to challenges
longed power outages. Figure 7 shows the mostly dark
posed by rapid urbanization: for example, a prosperous
skyline in new York City during the blackout. in october
society that uses smart city technology to manage a col2012, new York City experienced another widespread
lection of smart city infrastructures
that support sociotechnical and
socioeconomic initiatives and celebrate cultural and ethnic diversities.
however, urban infrastructures
in many cities suffer from a series
6.5 Billion
of critical issues, including capacity
(70% of the Total
insufficiency, functional deterioraPopulation)
tion and deferred maintenance,
3.9 Billion
and technological obsolescence,
(55% of the Total
that place legacy infrastructures
Population)
under perpetual stress for provid1 Billion
ing better civil services and pro(30% of the Total
moting a higher quality of life and
Population)
socioeconomic competitiveness. in
particular, a significant increase in
urban population places massive
Present
1950
2050
pressure on constrained city infraYear
structures (e.g., public and private
transportation and mobility), poses
various types of concerns pertaining to individuals' daily lives, and Figure 1. The growth in urban population.
Global Urban Population

IEEE Elec trific ation Magazine / j u n e 201 8

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