Ports of Stockholm Demonstrating Microgrid Technology at Nearby Port
One of the world’s largest passenger shipping ports is launching a new microgrid and on-site power project to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency in Sweden.
The Ports of Stockholm is working with numerous university and technology partners to develop the onshore power supply (OPS) project. It is designed to integrate renewables and advanced energy management systems to point the way for future green port solutions.
The demonstration project for the collaborative effort is starting in the Port of Kapellskär, one of several cargo and passenger ports in the Stockholm shipping system. Numerous ports worldwide are working on decarbonization efforts.
“We are working strategically to meet EU (European Union) regulations that require onshore connection for ships by 2030. This places high demands on the electricity grid, especially in Port of Kapellskär where the current capacity is limited,” Staffan Forsell, chief strategy and development officer at Ports of Stockholm, said in a statement.
“By integrating microgrids with OPS, we create a robust and sustainable solution that reduces the port’s environmental impact and strengthens our competitiveness,” Forsell added.
Demonstration of the Innovative Microgrid Design for Sustainable Onshore Power Supply is operational and designed to run through 2027 at the Port of Kapellskär. The port system is working with independent power producer Ilmatar, which generates wind and solar energy that will be combined with battery storage capacity.
The port microgrid demonstration is supported financially by the Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova. Others working on the project include designer-developer Stella Futura, Ilmatar and project leader University of Skövde.
The Port of Kapellskär is about 90 kilometers north of Stockholm and provides a shipping complement to the nation’s main ports of Stadsgården & Masthamnen. From these ports, Sweden ships and receives passengers and goods from multiple European nations including Finland, Estonia, Poland and Germany.
About 25 million passengers travel through the ports of Sweden annually, which is nearly double the traffic of only four years ago, according to Statista. The ports are estimated to handle close to 150 million metric tons of cargo each year.
The mission-critical value of the world’s shipping ports is leading that industry toward increasing microgrid adoption in response to both climate impact and sustainability challenges. In the U.S., that includes ports at Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, San Diego, Cleveland and Galveston, Texas.
Earlier this year, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory published its first-ever Port Electrification Handbook with contributions from some of the aforementioned ports as well as ports of Alaska, Georgia and Detroit.
