© Duisport
How ports can be supplied with energy in a climate-friendly way
Industrial and logistics sites are undergoing a profound transformation. Processes are increasingly being electrified, while photovoltaic systems installed on site generate electricity and battery storage is gaining importance. As a result, complex energy systems are emerging in which generation, consumption and storage must be intelligently coordinated. The enerPort II research project examined how energy can be supplied to a port in a reliable and climate-friendly way. The project began on 1 December 2021 and ran until the end of November 2025.
At the Duisburg Gateway Terminal (DGT), the largest inland container terminal in Europe, the project tested under real-world conditions how an integrated energy system combining photovoltaics, battery storage, hydrogen technologies and digital control can operate most effectively.
Smart control for fluctuating loads
The project focused on how all these technologies interact. During operation, the hydrogen-powered combined heat and power (CHP) plant complements the battery storage system, thereby extending the energy supply options available to the system. At the same time, an energy management system coordinates generation and storage in real time. The generation facilities are controlled in such a way that fluctuating loads are supplied with locally generated energy as efficiently as possible. enerPort II has demonstrated how digital control systems can effectively manage such complex energy supply situations.
The hydrogen-based systems were implemented with comprehensive safety measures, including separate safety zones, hydrogen monitoring sensors and automatic quick-closing shut-off valves. The results show that hydrogen-based energy systems can, in principle, be safely integrated into complex industrial environments.
Insights for industry and energy supply systems
Over the course of the project, it also became clear that building such energy systems remains challenging. In addition to technical issues, economic viability, infrastructure and the regulatory framework all play a crucial role.
The findings from enerPort II therefore extend well beyond port operations. They provide valuable insights into how industrial and commercial sites can in future be supplied with energy in a more flexible, climate-friendly and cross-sectoral way. Smart microgrids that combine electricity generation, hydrogen and storage technologies are considered particularly promising.
The project further demonstrates the importance of demonstration projects under real operating conditions. Only through practical operation does the complexity of the interaction between technology, infrastructure and digital control become fully apparent and which solutions are likely to prove viable in the long term. This is precisely why application-oriented research is essential to develop innovative solutions for the future.