European ports are strategic infrastructures for trade, but they are also some of the continent’s largest energy consumers. ENEPORTS, funded by the Interreg Atlantic Area programme and led by the technological centre ITG, transforms these spaces into authentic living labs for clean energy, testing innovative technologies and energy management models in ports in Spain and Portugal.
Cranes, terminals, refrigerated containers, and docked ships generate high energy demand, often in urban areas, posing a significant environmental challenge. ENEPORTS combines renewable sources —solar, wind, and wave energy— with port electrification and intelligent energy management, demonstrating that ports can be pioneers in the green transition and reduce their carbon footprint without compromising supply security.
“The first step is to create a digital layer that makes sense of this complexity,” explains Samuel Ormaechea, ITG researcher. Ports install smart meters and monitoring systems to measure energy consumption and generation. From this data, digital twins are created —virtual replicas of port energy systems— where engineers can safely simulate complex scenarios and test solutions before applying them in real life. This approach reduces risks, improves efficiency, and accelerates the adoption of renewable energy.
Three Ports, Three Contexts, and Transferable Technology
Each port participating in ENEPORTS has its own context and challenges. In Ferrol (Spain), work focuses on expanding renewable self-consumption, combining solar and wind, and preparing for shore-side power connection for ships. Leixões (Portugal) promotes full port electrification through a new main grid and the integration of solar, wind, and wave energy, with a scalable generation pilot.
Meanwhile, in Granadilla – Tenerife (Spain), green hydrogen and offshore wind technologies are being tested, consolidating the port as an advanced innovation laboratory.
“Ports can go beyond being logistics hubs and become spaces where energy solutions are tested and refined before scaling them to other regions” – Samuel Ormaechea, ITG
The results of ENEPORTS go beyond local pilots. The tools, methods, and platforms developed are designed to be repeatable and transferable, allowing other European ports to adopt them with confidence. In this way, ports cease to be merely large energy consumers and become active players in the energy transition, supporting industry, coastal communities, and a cleaner, more resilient energy system.
