Microgrids Help Electrify Ports, Increase Reliability and Meet Clean Energy Goals

Dan Ton more by this author

The U.S. has pledged to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Port electrification will play a major role in accomplishing this. Port electrification is challenging because of ports' sizes, complexity, and resource mix, necessitating approaches that can address specific port's needs and can apply to all ports as essential hubs for transportation and the exchange of goods.

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) released the Port Electrification Handbook, a resource to aid the transition to cleaner energy sources, including electricity, to power electricity of maritime and commercial ports. The handbook effort was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Electricity's (OE's) Microgrid Research and Development (MGRD) program.

MGRD was created to support and promote the application of microgrids. Our mission is as follows:

By 2035, microgrids are envisioned to be essential building blocks of the future electricity delivery system to support resilience, decarbonization, and affordability.

A microgrid is a group of distributed energy resources (DERs) and loads within a grid that can be separated from the grid and can act independently. They can also be reinserted into the larger grid system if necessary. They are especially helpful in serving remote or isolated communities. Because of their use of cleaner and/or renewable energy resources, microgrids they are well-suited for electrification applications of ports to meet their emissions reduction targets.

The Port Electrification Handbook delves into the many benefits of using microgrids for port electrification. Because they can be isolated from larger grids, they can be used as backup systems in case of power failures. They can play a pivotal role in improving resilience and the operation of critical infrastructure. They can help alleviate bottlenecks in power supply, reducing the need for fossil fuels and contributing to improved air quality. They can also be networked, or combined, to provide enhanced resilience and energy efficiency.

The Port Electrification Handbook is a significant step towards the International Maritime Organization's ambition for ports to achieve net-zero emissions by or around 2050. The electrification of ports also assists port-adjacent communities and people who are the most impacted by the use of diesel, natural gas, or oil. Electrifying ports will play a significant role in improving these communities' living conditions. OE is proud to be part of this and similar projects that promote growth and well-being.

To find out more about PNNL's release of the Port Electrification Handbook, read Elsie Puig-Santana's article PNNL Publishes Port Electrification Handbook Featuring Microgrids. To download the handbook, click Port Electrification Handbook.

PNNL will be hosting a webinar (Register now) Aug 7, 2024, 09:00 AM Pacific Time to introduce the handbook and explain how stakeholders can apply the guidance in their own electrification projects.

To read more about OE's Microgrid Program, click Microgrid Program Strategy.