Local energy production scenarios for emissions reduction of pollutants in small-medium ports

Environmental impact produced by ships in ports is a relevant problem, especially when they are located close to urban areas. This paper, taking Ancona (Italy) as a case study, analyzes the CO2 (and other chemical species) emissions produced by the auxiliary engines of ferry ships at berth. Three different configurations have been investigated, one grid-connected and two with local power plants. Cogenerative and photovoltaic scenarios have been considered varying the power size and the presence of a storage system. A computational model, based on maritime traffic and meteorological data over a one-year period, returns the percentages of the energy covered by the plant, the grid and the storage system. Environmental analysis shows that the grid-connected cold ironing scenario reduces the CO2 emissions by 34.5% compared to on-board diesel generators emissions. Cogeneration systems reduce CO2 emissions by 60–62%, while photovoltaic ones around 39%. All scenarios prove to be economically feasible.