Matching batteries to in-port vessel decarbonisation requirements

What happens when a major catastrophe looms and we all jump in our respective vehicles and leave town at the same time? I don’t imagine it will be that easy to find a charging point however many miles I get up the road!

Yes, I know, a bit of a pessimistic scenario but the central point stands, battery technology, including recharging arrangements are still an evolving process. Certainly, this applies in a port and terminal situation as much as anywhere else, not least with regard to port and battery storage options, under various scenarios, to facilitate the decarbonisation of vessels.

This latter area – it is worth noting – has recently been the subject of a White Paper compiled by MSE International, the marine sector, non-profit cluster organisation located in the maritime Solent region of the UK. The research received funding from the UK’s Department for Transport (DfT), Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) 2022, delivered by Connected Places Catapult.

The ESSOP project, as it is known, compared a variety of port energy storage options and modelled how these options could be best deployed in order to deliver a financial benefit. As MSE International explains: “The ESSOP project considered six different energy storage technologies; three of which were discarded for reasons of limited commercial readiness at scale, leaving three contenders; Lithium-ion, Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFB) and hybrid Lithium-ion/lead-acid. An energy flow model was built to compare the cost-effectiveness of these technologies and to explore how battery sizing could be optimised, using a levelized cost of storage methodology.”

The five-month project concluded, “that an optimally-sized smart battery can reduce energy costs by prioritising when power is procured from the grid and by maximising use of PV solar generation. Furthermore, for ports facing multiple peak loads during each day, the durability of VRFBs make them the more cost-effective battery option.”

The White Paper is certainly a useful weapon in the armoury of seeking effective vessel decarbonisation when in port. The ESSOP decision support model allows ports to investigate the optimal mix of battery power rating, energy capacity and PV solar to achieve a minimum levelized cost of energy delivered to shore power systems.

Copies of the White Paper can be obtained free of charge from MSE International Tel:+44 (0) 2380 111 590 E: admin@mseuk.org