Port of Amsterdam Undertakes Sustainable Shore Power Initiative

The Port of Amsterdam is working to provide sustainable shore power at to vessels.
Image Credit: Port of Amsterdam

The Port of Amsterdam today announced that, along with AEB Amsterdam, Senfal, and Energy eXchange Enablers, it will provide shore power to river cruise and inland navigation vessels under a pilot project intended to promote the use of sustainable, locally-generated power at the port.

"This pilot project provides us with very significant insights for preparing our port for the energy market of the future," said Robin Schipper, commercial manager Circular & Renewable Industry at Port of Amsterdam.

"In the future, you want to be able to source local sustainable energy even if there is no wind or the sun is not shining. A range of smart applications is used in this pilot project that will reduce costs for the businesses in the port area."

As the largest supplier of sustainable energy in the Amsterdam region, AEB Amsterdam's direct involvement is hailed as an "important step" in the project.

"We are able to optimise supply because we produce both electricity and heat," said AEB Amsterdam strategic adviser Peter Simoës.

"Whenever there is a peak in demand for sustainable electricity, we can increase production slightly by temporarily supplying less heat to our buffer, and vice versa. This cushion makes better matching of supply and demand possible and offers scope for supplying more solar or wind energy to the port, for instance."

In March, the Port of Amsterdam announced that vessels in its fleet would be switched to fuel containing 30 percent biodiesel, reducing CO2 emissions by 25 percent compared to conventional diesel.