The port of Qingdao, which aspires to be known as a green port, is planning to open a hydrogen filling station in March that will be able to charge 50 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles each day as part of a larger demonstration project. In addition, the port hopes to include additional solar and wind energy into its energy mix.
It aspires to be a model for other ports that consume a lot of energy. The project is divided into two parts, with a daily hydrogen supply capacity of 1,000 kg and the ability to service 50 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles per day. The project’s initial phase is 4,000 square meters in size and accounts for half of the overall capacity. Filling a cell car with hydrogen takes approximately eight to ten minutes. Three years ago, Qingdao Port began distributing hydrogen energy to container trucks using relay tankers, which take roughly an hour to fill.
The demonstration project, which will include three hydrogen refueling stations, a hydrogen-powered energy supply system, and ten hydrogen-powered gantry cranes, is expected to take three to four years, according to the Shandong Port Group. In addition, the port organization is expanding its fleet with 600 hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Simultaneously, the port will increase its usage of solar and wind energy. On the completely automated terminal of Qingdao Port, more than 3,900 m2 of warehouse and rain roofs are now fitted with solar panels capable of producing 800,000 kWh of power. Every year, the sun shines for 1260 hours. Photovoltaic systems in the port region now have the ability to generate electricity with a peak of 800 kilowatts, reducing CO2 emissions by 742 tons per year. In January, the port also saw the construction of two 31-meter-high wind turbine generators, which are estimated to generate 480,000 kWh of power once fully operational.
