National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) has partnered with Siemens to create a free online tool to help UK ports meet their net zero targets.
With the support and guidance from the British Ports Association (BPA), the decarbonisation tool will help ports forecast the future infrastructure required to meet potential increased demand for electricity from zero emission port operations.
It is a matter of fact that ports have already begun to decarbonise with government modelling showing they can achieve net zero through a transition to alternative fuel and the integration of ports into the decarbonised energy network.
The tool has been developed in the best interests of the port operators to help us plan together a decarbonised future. Through early collaboration we can identify the infrastructure required and ensure a smooth transition to a cleaner world.
….Dr Russell Fowler, Senior Project Manager for Decarbonisation of Transport at National Grid explains.
As informed, the decarbonisation tool hopes to help accelerate the transition by modelling future peak demand for electricity and give an estimate of the connections required, both to the local distribution network and the national transmission system.
It does this by asking questions about the assets a port has on site – from the number of berths, and types of cranes, to the number of car parking spaces – matching it with estimates of the peak power demand for the site.
With the support of the Decarbonisation Tool, UK ports can begin to plan their transition to alternative fuel powered vessels using energy from low or zero emission sources, as well as the integration of ports into the decarbonised energy network.
…Mark Simmonds, Director of Policy & External Affairs, British Ports Association comments.
The tool is offered in two versions. One version makes assessments based on the asset information input; the other version is customisable, allowing the port to change the assumptions if appropriate. The idea is to make the tool simple to use, and to give ports preliminary guidance to allow for a more detailed insight to meet their requirements.
Once ports have downloaded and worked through the decarbonisation tool, they can contact National Grid with the preliminary findings, for a more in-depth conversation if required.
This tool will help ports get a better idea of what their options are when it comes to electrification. Ports are used to planning for the long term. Port infrastructure, plant and machinery lasts for decades and a lot of the thinking, planning and investment in lowering emissions from ships and ports needs to happen sooner rather than later. We hope that this will make that task a little bit easier.
…Siemens’ Smart Infrastructure Sector Lead for UK Ports, Lynsey Jeffers UK concluded.
