The Valenciaport energy model is committed to the combination of photovoltaic and wind energy and the use of hydrogen in its terminals.
The PAV will present a project for the installation of a wind power plant that would reach an annual production of 27,000Mwh and that would allow reaching the energy balance in 2025.
València, 21st March 2019.- The president of the Port Authority of Valencia (PAV), Aurelio Martinez, has exposed this morning the initiatives in environmental matters in which Valenciaport works, framed in the change of energy model marked by the European Union for 2050 and that contemplates decarbonization and the commitment to renewable energies.
During a breakfast with media Aurelio Martínez, together with the Head of Security, Environment and Facilities, Federico Torres; and the responsible for Environment, Santiago López has stressed that from the PAV “is working to transfer the success achieved in container traffic in environmental initiatives”. In this sense, Martinez has highlighted the international prize “GREEN4SEA” that was awarded to Valenciaport last week for its commitment to the use of hydrogen in its terminals: “Although this award is a sign that we are on the right track what It has really been awarded, it has been a trajectory of more than 20 years working in environmental matters”. At this point, Aurelio Martínez recalled that in the last two decades the PAV has participated (together with companies of the Valencian Port Community and other port facilities) in projects on sustainability that have involved an investment of more than 200 million euros. Waste management is among the initiatives developed by the port; control of air quality through a permanent measuring station; the quality controls of water and sediments; acoustic emission controls by means of sound level meters, as well as initiatives in energy efficiency for the reduction of consumption (light and water) in all aspects of port operations in cooperation with the agents that make up the port community. Thanks to these measures, Valenciaport has obtained the most demanding certifications in environmental matters such as ISO 14.001 or the European Emas III regulation being, in addition, the first European port to obtain it. These initiatives have allowed Valenciaport a reduction of 11.5% in energy intensity, from 1.97% of energy consumed per unit of merchandise in 2000 to a level of 0.947 during the past year.
The challenge of Valenciaport about the climate change
During his appearance, Aurelio Martínez stressed that the “great challenge” faced by Valenciaport at the moment is related to climate change and decarbonization: “we want to anticipate the European calendars to reach our energy self-sufficiency as soon as possible. We will do this with investments in hydrogen, photovoltaic and wind energy and we will accelerate our plans to supply LNG to ships. In addition, we will build an electrical substation that will allow us to stop the engines of the ships when they are ready to connect to the network once they have docked at the port; measures all that will positively affect the general welfare of Valencians, especially neighborhoods closest to the port activity”.
Regarding the initiatives planned by Valenciaport in the matter of decarbonisation, Aurelio Martínez pointed out that the PAV “is progressing in the progressive substitution of conventional fossil fuels for cleaner ones such as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) or hydrogen”. As for LNG, the PAV, which since 2014 has been working to implement this technology, the LNG effectively in its ports, already supplies this fuel to Balearia vessels and plans to install a gas station in the port of Valencia. In addition, projects such as H2PORTS have demonstrated the feasibility of using hydrogen in port facilities, specifically in the container terminals of MSC and Grimaldi in the port of Valencia.
Also, Aurelio Martínez has exposed the plan foreseen by the PAV in its fight against climate change through measures such as the electrification of terminals (which will involve the replacement of machinery propelled by fossil fuels by electrical machinery) as already contemplated in the sheets of the northern extension; the electrical connection of the ships during their stay in the port; the improvement plan in the terminals for the reduction of energy consumption. The APV contemplates the installation of an electrical substation that will have a power of up to 40MW in its total project; although it will be done in two stages of 20MW each (to be able to provide service as soon as possible, but also to be able to accommodate the future needs that may arise) and will involve an initial investment of 8 million euros. The tender is scheduled for the last quarter of 2019.
Bet on wind and photovoltaic energy
Aurelio Martínez has also highlighted that the PAV plans to present a project for the installation of a wind power plant that would generate between 12 and 16 MV in the first phase. With an estimated cost of between 13 and 18 million euros, the installation would have an annual production of 27,000 MWh in its first phase and could reach 24MW which, in the words of the president of Valenciaport: “would cover the future needs of the port and the energy balance would be reached in 2025, anticipating European demands”.
The APV already has a license for the construction of an air generator and is considering options to build 3, 5 or 7 mills. The final project will depend on the possibilities of including the port of Valencia in the Wind Plan of the Valencian Community and of the conversations that are being developed with the Generalitat to adapt the European requirements of energy self-sufficiency with the need of power that the Valencian port facilities will require, in the future. In the case of photovoltaic solar energy, Aurelio Martínez recalled that the APV is planning to tender an installation of nearly 800 KWH of solar energy in the port of Valencia with an estimated cost of about 600,000 euros.
The energy plans also include the ports of Sagunto and Gandia; although in these two precincts, the demands – as of today – do not require the volume of investments claimed by the València dock.