Port of Gothenburg uses hydrogen to supply shore power

As part of a two-week pilot project, a hydrogen-powered generator has been connected to Stena Line’s existing shore power facility at the Port of Gothenburg. Using green hydrogen as fuel, the generator has supplied electricity to the vessel Stena Germanica and Stena Scandinavica while docked.

In 2030, a new EU regulation will come into effect requiring container and passenger vessels to use OPS while at berth. According to a study by ICCT, this is expected to reduce emissions by just over one million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. According to Viktor Allgurén, Head of Innovation at the Port of Gothenburg, hydrogen could help ports meet these requirements. 

The hydrogen generator being tested at the Port of Gothenburg was developed by Hitachi Energy, whose technology partner PowerCell Group supplies the generator’s power modules and expertise in fuel cell integration. During the test, the generator used 100% green hydrogen supplied by gas producer Linde Gas.

We value working with these industry players to continue exploring new application areas for HyFlex and to demonstrate its broad potential—from construction sites to port terminals—to accelerate the energy transition,

… said Tobias Hansson, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy in Sweden.

Hydrogen as a fuel has a range of potential applications in a port context. Today, the Port of Gothenburg has a hydrogen refueling station for trucks, hydrogen-powered work vehicles are currently being tested, and the technology used in the current OPS trial has also recently been used in the port by Skanska to power heavy machinery in a major terminal expansion project.

At Stena Line, we are eager to collaborate to test new technologies aimed at reducing emissions from our industry. This project shows that there are alternative solutions for ports that lack the infrastructure for shore power,

… commented Anders Peterson, Group Head of Port Development & Engineering at Stena Line.