Less noise and emissions. This is the purpose of the three electricity supply stations for ships that the Alicante port has just put into service, within the scope of a project financed by the European Union (EU) and involving an investment of 1.2 million euros. The charging points will prevent cargo ships from having to keep their internal combustion service engines running during their stay in the port area.This results in improved air quality and a reduction in noise and vibrations.
In a rapidly developing world and under the European regulatory framework aimed at decarbonising the economy, the transition to electrification and the adoption of innovative technologies, it is essential to guarantee the sustainability, efficiency and competitiveness of the port.
This is stated by the Alicante Port Authority, which promotes the implementation of electricity supply stations with the Onshore Power Supply (OPS) system. making it possible to supply three ships simultaneouslyallowing them to disconnect their auxiliary engines, which usually run on fossil fuels.
seasons, especially They are located at piers 13, 15 and 17As the port explains, it is one of the tools that will contribute to improving air quality. They add that the use of electrical energy from the national grid represents a reduction in CO2 and nitrogen oxide (NO2) emissions, given that the emission factor per megawatt-hour of supply is much lower than the emission factor of auxiliary boat engines. They act as electrical generators.
Moreover, The energy supply contracted by the Alicante Port Authority has certificates of origin guarantee; This means that 100% of the energy used in the port comes from completely renewable sources.. The system thus reduces particle and gas emissions, but also minimizes the generation of noise and vibration in the plant, as the engines remain switched off.
In this sense, Alicante Port Authority carried out the first stage of connecting the ports to each other. electricity supply to ships in central dock berthswith medium and low voltage installations. By implementing the OPS system in this area, 95% of the total electricity needs of ships operating in these docks will be met.
Compatibility
According to President Luis Rodríguez, “such facilities are the key to environmental sustainability and are even more important in a local port like Alicante.” And he emphasizes that one of the aims of the new phase is “to harmonize the use of the site for touristic, recreational and sports purposes, industrial development and the increase in commercial goods traffic.” Something impossible to achieve without such actions, which aims to reduce the carbon footprint in line with the European Green Deal, with a roadmap set out when Rodríguez took office to achieve a “smart, green, innovative, interconnected and competitive port”.
The project was financed by the EU within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (Next Generation), with the aim of contributing to environmental sustainability or accessibility to the port by train.