Valencia’s hydrogen energy project progresses

H2PORTS, coordinated by Fundación Valenciaport in close collaboration with the Port Authority of Valencia, will involve testing of a hydrogen-fuelled reach stacker for loading/unloading and transporting containers; a terminal tractor for ro-ro operations, powered by hydrogen fuel cells; and a mobile hydrogen refuelling station that will supply the fuel needed to ensure the continuous work cycles of the machinery, and that will operate in the Grimaldi (Valencia Terminal Europe) and MSC terminals in the Port of Valencia during the initial phase of the project.

The €4m project, funded by the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) programme, will also carry out feasibility studies on the development of a sustainable hydrogen supply chain in the port, coordinating stakeholders including customers, hydrogen producers and suppliers.

Low-carbon goal

H2PORTS ultimately aims to provide efficient solutions that will facilitate a rapid transition from a fossil fuel-based industry to a low-carbon, zero-emissions sector without affecting the performance and safety of port operations by 2020.

Fundación Valenciaport said the use of hydrogen for vehicles and machinery has previously been tested in other logistics and transport sectors, so the project is using different pilot schemes to bridge the gap between prototypes and pre-commercial products.

Other project participants include the Centro Nacional del Hidrógeno (National Hydrogen Centre), and the private companies MSC Terminal Valencia, the Grimaldi Group, Hyster-Yale, Atena, Ballard Power Systems Europe and Enagás.

The project was first announced in July 2017.