An innovative solution to counter “harbor smog”: Siemens technology supplies ships in port with environmentally friendly electricity from the public network
Erlangen, Germany, July 17, 2007
Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution (PTD) has developed a solution called “Siharbor” based on its DC transmission system Siplink. This enables ships berthed in port to be connected to the medium voltage network of the local power supply company and supplied with electricity. The advantage is that ships can shut down their diesel generating sets, which would otherwise be needed. These generating sets not only produce electricity but exhaust gases, soot, fine dust and noise. Ships powered from a shore-based source thus no longer add to the “harbor smog,” which is increasingly becoming an environmental problem. Compared with conventional power generation on board, this solutions also results in a saving of between 25 and 30 percent in electricity costs.
The shoreside connection system Siharbor from Siemens meets all the requirements of port operators, shipping companies, shipyards and power utilities. The system also takes into account the various types of vessel, such as passenger ships, container ships or ferries. Thanks to its modular principle, the shore-based power supply solution allows any combination of 50-Hz and 60-Hz power supply systems and all voltage levels required for shipping.
The core element of the shoreside power supply system is the Siplink system developed by Siemens (Siemens Multifunctional Powerlink) in which two converters are connected together by the DC intermediate circuit and connected to a power supply network. In this way, Siplink can not only feed a separate network from a distribution network but can match power supply systems with different parameters and interconnect them. Both these capabilities are used in the Siharbor solution as a means of linking the ship’s on-board system to the local power supply network.
In order to use the Siemens solution, both the harbor and the ship must be equipped for the shoreside power supply, among other things with a plug-in connection system. After connecting the plug-in connector in the ship, the automation system installed on shore initiates the system start-up procedure. The user dialog is conducted from the ship. The ship’s power supply is not interrupted, and Siplink is self-synchronizing and takes over the power supply within a few minutes. Afterwards, the diesel generators for the on-board supply network can be shut down and the complete on-board network can be supplied in an environmentally friendly way from the shore-based power supply system.
An archiving system records all data relevant to the ship. Ship-to-shore communication is via a fiber-optic cable, and the Siplink system continuously checks the parameters of the connection. A software module is also available that not only records and archives power consumption while the ship is berthed in port, but also forwards the total power consumption of the ship to the shipping company immediately per long-distance data transmission for settling the electricity costs.
The Siemens Power Transmission and Distribution Group (PTD), headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, is one of the leading global players in its market sector. As a product supplier, system integrator, solution designer and service provider, Siemens PTD ensures - for utilities and industry alike - the efficient and reliable transmission of electrical energy from the power plant to the consumer. With a worldwide workforce of about 27,500 and operations in more than 100 countries, PTD had sales of 6.5 billion euros in fiscal 2006. Further information at www.siemens.com/ptd.
Reference Number: PTD M 200707.453 e