The ports of Gothenburg, Sweden, Valencia, Spain, and Hamburg, Germany, have decided to switch gears to “hydrogen”. The objective is to produce and store hydrogen and develop infrastructure for supplying this new renewable energy.
The port of Gothenburg is one of the latest to join the hydrogen “club”. Experts believe that the demand already exists and that the creation of production units in the Scandinavian intermodal hub of Gothenburg will only increase interest in this sustainable energy.
The Gothenburg Port Authority and Norwegian company Statkraft have partnered to conduct an in-depth study into the potential for an interim storage and supply station within the Swedish port. A preliminary study, which focused in particular on security issues, is also underway and should be completed at the beginning of 2022.
Arvid Guthed, Vice President of Gothenburg Port Development, said: “The Port of Gothenburg is the largest port in Scandinavia and as a hub for sea, rail and road transport, it carries out a wide range of freight operations. Hydrogen can replace fossil fuels, diesel, for all types of equipment.”
The unit will have a capacity of four megawatts and will produce more than two tonnes of green hydrogen per day. This is the equivalent of 2,200 liters of diesel. This will reduce CO emissions2 of at least four tonnes per day. If demand increases, the unit will be expanded.
“We know there is already significant demand in and around the port for the use of hydrogen-powered equipment. Several companies and organizations are ready and waiting and we are confident that local hydrogen production will represent a breakthrough,” added Arvid Guthed.
Per Rosenqvist, CEO of Statkraft Hydrogen Sweden, also stressed that “Statkraft is the largest supplier of renewable energy in Europe, and (…) that green, renewable hydrogen will be vital if we want carbon-free transport in a near future. This project will help move the road, rail and maritime transport sectors towards a fossil-free future.”
Sweden has set itself an ambitious target to reduce emissions in the transport sector of 70% by 2030. But, according to the Fossil-Free Sweden Hydrogen Gas Strategy, published in January 2021, plans for hydrogen in Sweden barely achieve a 30% reduction in total Swedish emissions. Like other countries, Sweden is calling for increased investment in this sector and a substantial increase in the use of hydrogen.
Other Northern European ports are exploring the hydrogen route, including Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Antwerp in Belgium, as well as others in Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Valencia and Hamburg sign an alliance to promote hydrogen
The two major European ports will collaborate on hydrogen production and storage projects and on the development of applications linked to this energy in the maritime sector.
This agreement between the Mediterranean port and that of the north illustrates the resolute commitment of the port sector in the fight against global warming and in innovative projects linked to clean energies.
More specifically, this agreement signed between the Valencia Port Authority, the Valenciaport Foundation and the Hamburg Port Authority should make it possible to develop hydrogen projects with the support of programs coordinated by the European Union. The different players will concentrate their efforts on storage units and the use of this energy in terminals and equipment (machines), refueling and transport from port areas inland. All logistics sectors in both countries will be affected, as was discussed between the president of the Valencia Port Authority, Aurelio Martinez, his German counterpart and the vice-president of the International Association of Ports, Jens Meier.
In fact, this agreement devotes years of research and development in projects related to hydrogen, but also of exchanges between Valencia and Hamburg. The two major ports have indeed been collaborating for a very long time on the decarbonization of maritime transport and port areas. This alliance is a further step.
In Valencia, the H2PORTS project is coordinated by the Valenciaport Foundation and the Port Authority, and funded by the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) program. Its objective is to test and validate the use of hydrogen for machines without affecting their efficiency and the safety of port areas.
The H2PORTS project received a total investment of four million euros. Participating in this immense project are the Valenciaport Foundation and the Valencia Port Authority, the National Hydrogen Center and the companies MSC Terminal Valencia, Grimaldi Group, Hyster-Yale, Atena Distretto, Alta Tecnologia, Energia Ambiente, Ballard Power Systems Europe and Enagas.
Valencia will thus be the first European port to equip itself with a hydrogen station to power ground handling equipment. This should be installed on the north quay. It will include a fixed low-pressure storage part and a mobile part in which the hydrogen will be compressed at high pressure. The hydrogen will power a reach stacker trolley manufactured by Hyster for moving containers on the ground at the MSC terminal.
