INTERPORT - Integrated energy systems in ports

INTERPORT develops sustainable solutions for ports as energy hubs, contributing to Norway’s transition to a zero-emission society. The National Transport Plan 2018-2029 sees an important role for offering infrastructure providing a mix of energy carriers in a zero-emission society, such as on-shore power supply, hydrogen-based fuels, and bio-fuels. The objective of INTERPORT is to develop and disseminate knowledge on the design of integrated, decarbonized, and cost-effective energy systems in ports. INTERPORT views ports, its users (e.g. ships, logistics, road transport), and its surroundings (e.g. industries and buildings) as an integrated energy system, and evaluates synergies between local production, conversion, storage, and supply of different energy carriers such as low-carbon fuels, electricity, and thermal energy. The research in INTERPORT is targeted at four reference ports. Saga Fjordbase in Florø, Karmsund Port Authority, Port of Nordfjord, and Kildn, a future port outside Bergen. Much of the green transition in ports is based on electrification, which also applies to most of the reference ports. This challenges the grid capacity. These challenges can be partially met with local power production and battery storage, but also with improved and broader use of multiple energy carriers. Ports using more energy carriers than electricity – among others heat and hydrogen – have better opportunities for value creation through sector coupling, such as with the aquaculture industry and offshore wind, and as flexibility providers in a power market with a lot of variable renewable energy, enabling the creation of decarbonized, flexible, and efficient port energy systems. Hydrogen production or a local heating network, are however infrastructure with significant investment linked to them. For smaller actors and ports with fewer actors needing heat, local power production with solar panels combined with batteries is the easiest way of achieving decarbonisation with reduced need for power. Decarbonizing port operations such as cranes and shore power for ships will require a lot of electricity, making local power production necessary regardless. The project has also shown that many operations occur in shorter time intervals than an hour, which is the most common interval for power measurement data. Fast and large changes in power demand will require proper management to utilize available power and energy storage the best way to reduce grid load and peak demand costs. Furthermore, a new concept for an integrated energy system for green ports has been conceptualized and developed, including shore power and other relevant energy carriers such as low-carbon fuels, namely Port Integrated Energy System (PIES). A model of the integrated energy system for a preliminary design scenario has been developed, as well as formulation of a cost proposing a framework for optimal design of PIES.. A virtual port has been defined to test and verify the method, ending up with proposing a solution for energy system sizing and optimal energy management. The new methodology has been tested on Karmsund Port Authority to optimally size the energy production system with solar power and batteries, as necessary components to allow for electrification of the port operations. Policies and regulations for sustainable energy transition affect the production, distribution, and use of energy in and around Norwegian ports, and the project has found three major future challenges: the need for new competence, sufficient expansion of grid capacity, and financing schemes that can reduce economic risk and contribute to new value chains for alternative fuels. A strong vision, involving positive ripple effects for the local community, influences social acceptance of new, integrated energy solutions in ports positively. Furthermore, this acceptance is influenced by uncertainty about who can/should take a coordinating role, lack of a common arena, lack of overview of current use and future energy need, and limited knowledge about technology, legislation and framework conditions. Land use and spatial considerations is especially important for the attitude of the local community. New business models must be developed to create value for business actors, accelerate the transition to new energy carriers, and increase the profitability of individual ports. All ports in the project are exploring new concepts, varying in scale and degree of concretization, and this innovation work is being discussed with them.

Shipping is considered one of the most environmentally efficient ways to transport goods and passengers. Still, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from domestic shipping accounts for 10 % of Norway's total GHG emissions. Among others, the National Transport Plan for 2018-2029 sees a future role for ports as zero-emission energy hubs, offering an infrastructure providing a mix of energy carriers, such as on-shore power supply, hydrogen-based fuels and biofuels. INTERPORT aims to propose sustainable energy hub solutions that contribute to Norway's transition to a zero-emission society. With the current development and diffusion of multiple types of energy carriers and fuels for different end users, there is a strong need for better understanding of energy system integration and management. INTERPORT will address this by considering the port, its users (e.g. ships, logistics, land-based transport) and its surroundings (e.g. industries and buildings) as an integrated energy system, and evaluate synergies between local production, conversion, storage, and supply of low-carbon-fuels, electricity, and thermal energy. In such a system, the optimal energy carrier will be supplied to different end users, in terms of cost-efficiency, energy-efficiency, safety and reliability. It also enables ports and authorities to increase the robustness and flexibility of the energy system, and accelerating the uptake of hydrogen based fuels. To realise zero-emission ports, substantial changes in regulations, roles, and practices are also required. INTERPORT will combine techno-economic and socio-technical perspectives considering multi-level interaction between actors, institutions and technologies. Also included are assessments of framework conditions, policies and regulations and their impact on anticipated future energy demand. New business models will be explored to generate value for business actors, accelerate transition, and enhance the competitiveness of individual ports.