The Ports of Ferrol (A Coruña), Granadilla (Tenerife), and Leixoes (Porto) will be pioneers in demonstrating how digitalization and Artificial Intelligence allow ports to become platforms for the generation of green energy at competitive prices, as well as innovation laboratories in renewable energy. This paradigm shift comes from the ENEPORTS initiative, a European consortium led by the ITG technology center that seeks the modernization and decarbonization of ports and efficient consumption, with digitalization and Artificial Intelligence as allies.
The project has a duration of three years and in it three intelligent digital platforms will be designed, tested in the laboratory and put into operation that will allow new sources of renewable energy and consumption to be managed in the three ports, which will allow each year to avoid more than 72,250 tons of CO2.
In the case of Ferrol, as explained today, during the presentation of the initiative, the installation of terrestrial wind and photovoltaic energy is expected to produce more than 43 GWh/year, which would be the energy necessary to power more than 4,300 homes in Galicia.
This initiative also promotes innovation in renewable technologies, by studying the feasibility of using devices in ports that combine on one platform the generation of photovoltaic, hydraulic and energy produced through the tension of mooring ropes. Additionally, it studies how to improve control with machine learning techniques. The goal is that in 2035 the three ports can achieve carbon neutrality.
The port authorities of Ferrol, Tenerife and Leixões, together with the centers participating in this project, have already begun the study of the administrative and technological requirements to create these new energy ecosystems in their areas, as well as the evaluation of their economic, environmental, technological, and social impacts.
ENEPORTS has a budget of more than 2.8 million euros, financed in part by the Interreg Atlantic Area call. In addition to ITG, the Port Authority of Ferrol, Tenerife, Leixoes and Galway participate in it. The University of that same city, the Builders École Ingénieurs and the Institute of Technology and Renewable Energy of Tenerife are part of the consortium too.
We will adapt the intelligent platform for each port area, hand in hand with our partners and port authorities, installing renewables and we will support them in the design of the methodology for the deployment of renewable laboratories”. Santiago Rodríguez, Energy Area Manager at ITG.