Power surge

As ports grow, their power requirements inevitably increase: as bigger ships call, even modern terminals need to use ever greater amounts of energy.

Clearly, supplies have to be reinforced, although innovative technologies and new solutions can help reduce the need for investment in this area while allowing for an increase in energy efficiency.But the question of when to invest remains.

Akash Middya, vice president of industry and infrastructure at Alstom Grid, believes that timing of supply upgrades should be linked to volume.

“Port investment is a phased long-term strategy, spanning 10-15 years, with each development phase 3-4 years long. This means that, a port with plans to develop an overall capacity of 60m-80m tons per annum of bulk cargo, would typically add between 15m-20m tons in each phase, with each phase requiring a substantial amount of HV and MV power supply needs,” he says.

He adds that when a need for more power has been identified this can be supplied in one of two ways: either by a 400kV or 220 kV grid connection drawn directly from the nearest utility substation (and stepped down to a 110 or 66 or 33 KV within the premises) or brought in directly from a power generating station by a dedicated transmission line (and then stepped down via an on site sub-station).

Steady supply

For the UK’s Peel Ports, an asset management approach is taken towards power supply issues, linking the organisational strategic plan of the business to the activities within that business. In that respect, a quarterly forum is held in order to consider business growth and its impact on the port’s electrical infrastructure. Actual electrical demand is plotted against estimated increases in electrical demand. Appropriate action is then initiated to address any shortfall or, indeed, re-direct any surplus.

When a need has been identified, alternative delivery methods, including any innovations in the field of renewables, the use of diesel operated plant, or diesel generators, are considered when planning to solve power challenges. The approach has to consider the least whole life cost solution and balance this with both the short and medium term needs of the business in order to maximise value, says Julia Bradley, the group head of marketing.

Quizzed about return on investment linked to power supply upgrades, Dr Holger Müller, Network Consulting for Siemens,

notes: “New, smart technologies – such as storage, demand side management and so on – can reduce the peak load and reactive power demand by improving total power factor of the load. This will lead to a positive business case for ports and terminals.”

Ms Bradley stresses that ROI involves many factors.

“A discrete known increase for a particular customer is easy to attribute to that opportunity. However, a larger, longer term, speculative increase needs to consider the growth aspirations of the business. Apportionment of the larger speculative cost has to be fair, appropriate and in line with industry best practice. A close collaborative dialogue with your local energy provider can often mitigate against the high cost of infrastructure investment and use of system charges,” she says.

But for Alstom, the fact that ports tend to be profitable businesses with quick cash cycling means that power supply related investments represent a small percentage of an overall project budget, which is where the ROI is generally calculated.

Cost computation

As ever, with large projects, there is always a danger of underestimating costs. However, Mr Müller does not believe this to be a problem when looking at improving a terminal’s power supply. He notes that the costs for the various components involved – such as cranes and automated guided vehicles – are relatively easy to calculate, as are those for innovative technologies.

“We can also provide help in planning the necessary logistics and also for the electricity infrastructure,” he says.

Mr Middya is equally as relaxed, pointing out that port projects are invariably well researched, invested in and managed, once again stressing that electrical power supplies constitute only a small percentage of any project investment.

Ms Bradley, for her part, suggests that a good historical record of project costs gives an accurate prediction for the future. This can be supplemented through the use of quantity surveyors and industry practitioners who have access to the latest equipment costs and rates.

“As with any project management best practice, appropriate risk and contingency provisions should be made from the outset,” she says.

As for how certain a terminal can be that any proposed solution will work, Mr Müller stresses that only proven technologies and solutions where operational experience exist would be used in a port. “Innovative technologies, which are not yet standard in ports, are mostly installed in other areas of electricity grids, such as in utility or industrial grids,” he says.

Mr Middya concurs, stating that, “Solutions are quite standard.”

Downtime restriction

Ms Bradley adds that a high degree of certainty can be given that any new solutions will work through the use of appropriate modelling and engagement throughout the business.

Once a solution is agreed, ports and terminals are then faced with the potentially thorny problem of laying cable, with associated disruption to operations. But is there any easy way of minimising this? Ms Bradley believes there is, explaining that engagement and communication throughout the entire business is a critical success factor in order to minimise disruption and set expectation. The method of implementation of the solution is also important to minimise disruption to the business, for example pre-fabrication of buildings, out of hours working and so on.

“Downtime is not inevitable and can be eliminated through careful planning. This of course is dependant upon the size, complexity and flexibility of the electrical network which is being increased. The voltage level at which the increase is being made will also affect downtime requirements,” she says.

Mr Middya points out that ports are fortunately blessed with large open flat terrain, so a well-planned electrical layout of substations and cabling is often easily carried out. “Downtime shouldn’t normally be a problem, as critical power can be fed from back up diesel generator sets,” he says.

Mr Müller adds that disruption can be kept to the absolute minimum by adding new components and cables before taking the old ones out of service. Thus downtime should be limited to the switching from the old to the new substation with some minor installation work.