The Port of Gothenburg has entered the final phase of its two-week pilot project, in which it is using a hydrogen-powered generator to supply electricity to docked ships. According to the partners, the method may pave the way for reduced emissions in ports where conventional shore power connections are not feasible.
The hydrogen-powered generator has been connected to Stena Line’s existing shore power facility at the Port of Gothenburg. Using green hydrogen as fuel, the generator has supplied electricity to the vessels Stena Germanica and Stena Scandinavica while docked.
The hydrogen generator being tested at the Port of Gothenburg was developed by Hitachi Energy, whose technology partner PowerCell Group supplies the generator’s power modules and expertise in fuel cell integration. During the test, the generator used 100% green hydrogen supplied by gas producer Linde Gas.
Tobias Hansson, managing director of Hitachi Energy in Sweden, commented, “We are very pleased with the results of the latest collaboration with Stena Line, PowerCell Group, Linde Gas and the Port of Gothenburg. We value working with these industry players to continue exploring new application areas for HyFlex and to demonstrate its broad potential, from construction sites to port terminals, to accelerate the energy transition.”
Cleaner ports around the world
As onshore power supply (OPS) systems require significant investment and robust underlying electrical infrastructure in the ports, not all ports are equipped to support OPS. Mobile hydrogen generators, like the one currently being tested at Stena Line’s Germany terminal, are seen as a potential tool to support ports that lack the necessary prerequisites for onshore power supply. Powering ships with electricity from shore when docked in port reduces carbon dioxide emissions as the ships do no have to rely on their engines for power.
Currently, the Port of Gothenburg has a hydrogen refueling station for trucks and hydrogen-powered work vehicles are currently being tested, and the technology used in the current OPS trial has also recently been used in the port by Skanska to power heavy machinery in a terminal expansion project.
Anders Peterson, group head of port development and engineering at Stena Line, said, “At Stena Line, we are eager to collaborate to test new technologies aimed at reducing emissions from our industry. This project shows that there are alternative solutions for ports that lack the infrastructure for shore power.”
Stricter regulations
In 2030, a new EU regulation will come into effect requiring container and passenger vessels to use OPS while at berth. According to a study by ICCT, this is expected to reduce emissions by just over 1,000,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.
Viktor Allgurén, head of innovation at the Port of Gothenburg, said, “Since the climate is a shared concern for us all, it is also in everyone’s interest that as many ports as possible around us succeed in meeting these demands. With our extensive experience in OPS, we are pleased to partner with Stena Line to serve as a testbed for this new technology, which may very well prove to be a viable solution for many ports.”
In related news, Austal Australasia was recently awarded a contract valued between A$265m and A$275m by Gotlandsbolaget of Sweden to design and construct a 130m combined cycle, ‘hydrogen-ready’ vehicle passenger ferry. Click here to read the full story.