Valenciaport aims to reach 2035 having achieved carbon neutrality in its facilities in València, Sagunt and Gandía. Within this timeframe, it is also expected to have achieved energy self-sufficiency, being capable of producing all the energy it needs to meet the consumption associated with the economic and commercial activity development of the various ports.
This is set out in the ‘Net Zero Emissions Plan’, presented by the president of the Port Authority of València (APV), Mar Chao, who highlighted that this document becomes the roadmap on which the Port Authority will lead the entire decarbonization process of the entire port community, which will involve shipping lines, terminal operators, land transport, and port services, among others.
The plan, which has an investment, planned or already underway, of 900 million euros, of which 605 million come from the APV and 295 million from private investment, is based on the principles of “resilience, efficiency, and protection,” emphasized the president, who reaffirmed the APV’s commitment to reducing the consumption of hydrocarbons and fossil fuels in favor of other less polluting energy sources with greater utilization capacity.
Electrification and Efficiency
Valenciaport has been promoting environmental policies for nearly 30 years, starting with the Ecoport project in 1998, and currently “sustainability is one of the fundamental pillars of our strategy,” stated the president. “Electrification, efficiency, and self-sufficiency” are the criteria that run through the various actions of the Net Zero Emissions plan, she explained.
In this regard, the plan includes actions such as the construction of two new substations in the port of València, which will be operational between 2026 and 2028, and the provision of charging points (OPS) for ships at the various terminals. Furthermore, throughout 2027, an intelligent energy management system based on the application of digital twins will be implemented.
The goal of these actions is to achieve energy self-sufficiency for Valenciaport by 2035. Currently, 18% of the energy consumed is already produced, thanks to the photovoltaic installations at various points in the ports of Valencia, Sagunt, and Gandía. The first step to increase this amount will be the installation of three wind turbines, which, together with the solar plants already in operation, will supply 51% of the energy consumed.
Energy Storage
In the field of self-sufficiency, the plan also foresees the launch of a new energy storage system in the port of Gandía, with a capacity of 1 MW, which will consolidate it as the first European port with the capacity to produce all the energy it consumes. This project will be operational throughout 2028, along with two pilot energy projects of 270 kW and 1 MW respectively.
The plan also includes the use of electric vehicles and the electrification of facilities, as well as terminals. Similarly, it is expected that by the end of 2028, a total of eight berths for electrical supply to ships (OPS) will be operational, of which 10 need to be electrified under current international regulations, representing 80% of the total demand.
This figure will place the APV very close to the mandatory target set for 2030, which requires meeting at least 90% of the annual demand for container and passenger ship calls.
Similarly, and jointly with the Valenciaport Foundation, work is being carried out very actively on testing different alternative fuels (hydrogen, methanol,) and biofuels for both port machinery and vessels. The Net Zero Emissions Plan also includes a climate change adaptation plan, which aims to increase the resilience of the ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandía, work within the strategic framework set by Puertos del Estado to create ecoproactive ports, and update the risks that may exist from waves, heavy rainfall, heat waves or sea level variation.
Strategic Plan Monitoring
With this plan, the aim is to “identify the critical risks of each port; establish specific adaptation measures, prioritizing key areas such as docks, breakwaters, terminals, accesses and terminal operations, and always do so under a framework of monitoring and continuous improvement,” explained the president.
The president emphasized that all these actions are part of the Valenciaport Strategic Plan. “This strategy is our roadmap to lead the decarbonization of the ports of Valencia, Sagunto and Gandía through the implementation of action plans defined for each subsector of the Valenciaport port community.” A task that, in her opinion, must be done through public-private collaboration, the construction of more resilient and efficient infrastructure, the commitment to environmental incentives, and the development of resilient multimodal chains to provide the best service to customers.
