The world’s first hydrogen solution for shore power

Port Esbjerg already has CO2 neutral power and with the forthcoming new onshore power plant, surplus energy from wind turbines is also used, as it is converted from green hydrogen to electricity that ships in the port can receive. Thus, the port helps to put not only Esbjerg, as an energy metropolis, but the whole of Denmark on the world map.

“Hydrogen as the fuel of the future must necessarily go through a practical phase and that is exactly to be able to supply shore power to ships with fuel cell technology. That is why CS electric A/S and Port Esbjerg are working on the world’s first system,” says Dennis Jul Pedersen, CEO of Port Esbjerg.

The onshore power solution is being built with, among other things, fuel cells supplied by the Canadian-owned company Ballard. A fuel cell can, in an electro-chemical process, convert a fuel, in this case hydrogen, into electrical energy, which ships calling at Port Esbjerg can use. After design and engineering of the solution, CS electric A/S conducts a full function test on Lillebæltsvej in Esbjerg N, where the technology company is located. Once the solution has been tested, it will be installed at Port Esbjerg, which is expected to happen in the third quarter of 2022.

“Being able to digitize the entire supply chain from the production of hydrogen to the supply of electricity to the ships is part of making the Port Esbjerg carbon neutral. Here, shore power from the fuel cell is an important part, and the project with CS electric A/S is epoch-making for the practical use of PtX,” says Dennis Jul Pedersen, CEO of Port Esbjerg.

Søren Mathiasen, CEO of CS electric A/S, also sees the hydrogen plant as pioneering in the work of developing sustainable, future-proof, and CO2-neutral solutions:
“We focus on developing efficient and sustainable solutions. Especially within the maritime industry, where the pace must be set in relation to the green transition, we are ready with many good and CO2-reducing solutions. That is why we are also proud to be involved in writing history together with Port Esbjerg, when we install the world’s first green hydrogen solution for shore power later this year.”

Gert Andersen, Senior Sales Manager at CS electric A/S, who has more than 25 years of experience with energy optimization, has been in close dialogue with Port Esbjerg in recent years. Gert has gained a great understanding of customers of the port’s needs and has therefore been the focal point in the development of the solution for Port Esbjerg. He also sees, to a large extent, that the solution can also be used in industries other than the maritime sector. For example, it may be part of a future energy supply to e.g. data centers.

“We have many years of know-how within energy-efficient and sustainable solutions – both on land and water. Here we have a specific example of our ECOPAC® Converter solution (shore power) being used in such a way that its mobility is increased. This means that the solution can be moved to wherever it is needed. It will be of great importance in the future – also in the short term,” says Gert Andersen, Senior Sales Manager at CS electric A/S.

More specifically, the future hydrogen shore power solution consists of two or three containers, which are placed at the port. Ships that dock in the harbor can then connect to the solution and thus be supplied with electricity, which is generated by green hydrogen and thus 100 percent CO2 neutral.