Powering problems - Port Strategy

Posted - 14 May 2012 - Port Strategy

Meeting swelling electrical demand at today's 'greener' ports can be challenging, as Dave and Iain MacIntyre report

Ports are huge energy consumers and their dependence on reliable power supplies has become even more important with the advent of cold ironing and the environmental demands for reduced pollution.
Consequently, port managers are grappling not just with the “here and now” of energy provision but with the need to widen their future supply and back-up options.
How great is the demand profile on ports is exemplified by the Port of Long Beach. Chief harbor engineer Al Moro says that over the next 15 to 20 years the port’s electricity demand will increase from approximately 50 MW to 240 MW.
“This large load growth is a result of many of the clean air initiatives being implemented at the port. These include electrification of terminal container yard equipment and shore-to-ship power that allows the large container vessels to turn off their on-board auxiliary diesel-driven generators eliminating emissions while at berth.
“Challenges are to build the electrical infrastructure in a timely manner to transmit and distribute the electric power from primary Southern California Edison (the electricity utility company) substations to the points of use.
“This involves coordination with SCE planners and engineers to make sure SCE has adequate grid power in the area as well as the electric distribution infrastructure within the port. All this construction must be done in a way to minimise the impacts to working cargo terminals.”
Network maintenance can also pose a challenge.
At nearby Port of Los Angeles, the port’s utility provider is LADWP, a sister agency that can produce well over the highest demand ever recorded and distribute to the port area with no major issues.
But LA’s senior building electrical engineer Vahik Haddadian adds: “Some of the routine challenges are the natural ageing of the transmission equipment and wiring (circuits) … As the power demand increases, the need for additional new lines and newer protection equipment will also increase.”
Mr Haddadian says the load demand of the container terminals and cargo-moving equipment is so high that there is no cost-effective method to “back up” the operations.
“The best scenario is to ensure each facility has enough back-up generation capability to provide power to circuits providing power for minimum life and safety loads such as security systems, access control systems, critical data systems, etc.
“The port’s green initiatives in total require a small percentage of the overall power demand of the port operations and would not be capable to provide the necessary supply in the event of grid power unavailability.”
What is driving the increase in demand for power? Undoubtedly, “cold ironing” is one reason. Los Angeles for example began providing Alternative Maritime Power (AMP) at the China Shipping terminal in 2004. Currently, the port has three containership AMP berths and three cruise ship AMP berths. By 2014, there will be a total of 24 AMP berths. The California Air Resources Board adopted a shore power regulation in 2009 requiring that all cruise, container, and reefer vessels that meet call criteria to California ports must plug into shore power. Starting in 2014, regulated vessels must plug into shore power for 50% calls and achieve 50% emission reductions, increasing to 80% by 2020.

Complete Post at:
http://www.portstrategy.com/features101/port-operations/planning-and-design/energy-supplies/ports-go-green-to-ease-power-demands