Power and automation technology company ABB will lead a turnkey project for a shore-to-ship power solution in Toulon, south France, using a 2.35MW/4.7MWh lithium-ion battery.
ABB is leading a consortium that will provide a 50/60hHz shore-to-ship power connection for ferries and cruise ships in the port of Toulon. Shore-to-ship power connections allow ships to turn off their diesel generators during port calls, reducing noise and fossil fuel pollution while allowing ship operators to save on fuel and maintenance costs.
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The system implemented by ABB and its consortium partners will pair a solar PV array with a 2.35MW/4.7MWh, nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS), a spokesperson told Energy-Storage.news.
“The battery will support the grid while providing shore power to the docked vessels. Once the vessels disconnect from shore power, the battery will charge itself back up from the power available from the grid. When solar power is available, the battery can also charge using this renewable source of power instead of the electricity grid,” they added.
ABB said the solution will be capable of delivering enough energy to cover the needs of three ferries calling to port simultaneously, or one cruise ship, and will have the ability to automatically adjust the energy mix to supply vessels through the local power network and the solar-plus-storage plant. It will eliminate 80% of pollutant emissions by saving 9,000 hours of vessels running on diesel each year.
Eiffage Construction will carry out the civil engineering work while system integrator Fauché will be responsible for installing and connecting the equipment including ABB Shore Connection technology. The project is due for commissioning next year.
“Technically, this project is developing a new, intelligent smart grid power network using digital technology to manage energy flows from several interconnected sources. The infrastructure makes it possible to optimise overall energy efficiency while limiting the carbon footprint,” said Frédéric Mestivier, designer and technical director of the power project for the Toulon Provence Méditerranée Metropolis (the regional authority encompassing the city).
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region is embarking on a ‘zero-smoke stopover’ programme to electrify the ports of Toulon, Marseille and Nice, the three largest cities of the region, to enable emission-free stays for vessels.
