Project Summary
The project will undertake three tasks to validate the Modular Onshore Power Supplies (ModOPS) concept in a modelled environment: refine the ModOPS concept based on trials and deployments of onshore power supplies, validate the ModOPS capability against key UK use cases and evaluate different business model options to mobilise investment.
Project Achievements
Activities ModOPS has surveyed over 100 third-party reports to extract latest knowledge on shore power and energy systems. This formed a basis for a modular OPS model that analysed the cost and carbon performance of OPS systems for five different use cases. 12 different source energy options were compared for all use cases. Results were analysed to draw key conclusions to guide port decision-making on OPS. These were discussed with selected end-users. A white paper has been created for publishing the work to MSE’s 3,400 subscribers.
Conclusions
Preferred OPS solutions for ports depend very much on the port’s proximity to energy resources and the needs of its visiting vessels. For most ports, all-electric OPS systems with some battery storage are likely to be a good option to consider first. Where the required grid connection capacity is unavailable, in-port generation using a liquid fuel is likely to be a good option to consider. HVO fuel is a good short-term option, whilst green methanol fuel may become more attractive, especially if methanol becomes a mainstream net-zero bunker fuel (as currently seems likely).
Next Steps
MSE plans to take ModOPS to the next stage in three ways: 1. Perform more specific analysis of OPS options for some early-adopter ports. Several such ports have expressed interest in this approach, leading to accelerated investment in OPS. 2. Explore options for refining the ModOPS model architecture to make it a commercial software product. This would require further finance and collaboration with a software specialist. 3. Build a pilot containerised OPS to demonstrate in-port generation using a green methanol fuel.
