Port of Trelleborg teams up with ENERCON to harness wind for green power

The Port of Trelleborg has inked a deal with German wind power company ENERCON for the construction of two 120-meter-high wind turbines. This move aligns with the port’s ambitious plan to become a major energy hub, ensuring self-sufficiency in energy production for its future needs, including shore power for vessels.

As Scandinavia’s largest RoRo port for rolling traffic, the Port of Trelleborg aims to transform into Europe’s most sustainable RoRo port, targeting net-zero emissions by 2040. The installation of its own wind turbines is a crucial step towards achieving this goal, alongside offering conducive conditions for customers to reduce emissions and facilitating access to eco-friendly fuels such as green hydrogen and charging infrastructure with green electricity.

From 2030, it is also expected that all vessels that dock at the port must be connected to shore power, which will mean significantly higher energy consumption.

“We are very much looking forward to such an experienced company as ENERCON to build our wind turbines. The new wind turbines, together with the Port of Trelleborg’s own solar park of 2,200 square meters, will produce more green energy than we consume,” says Ulf Sonesson, Landlord at Port of Trelleborg.

“We are proud to have been chosen by Port of Trelleborg in this project to provide locally produced clean renewable energy for transports,” says Eike Gentsch, Senior Sales Manager Nordics at ENERCON GmbH.

The wind turbines are slated to be positioned in the new port on the 500-meter-long quay and are expected to be operational by the turn of the year 2024/2025. Groundwork is scheduled to commence in the spring of 2024, with the turbines anticipated for delivery to the port in August/September 2024. Projections indicate an annual energy production of about 15 million kWh.

This initiative is part of the Port of Trelleborg’s broader EU project, “Green FIT 2025,” co-financed by the EU and spanning 2021-2024. The project encompasses the construction of two new large berths for next-generation Ro-Pax vessels, the installation of shore-side electricity connections, and the deployment of two wind turbines to secure a clean energy supply. Additionally, the project includes the implementation of wastewater reception facilities and a port wastewater treatment plant for environmentally friendly management of ship waste. The reconstruction of port rail connections in a new layout is also underway to ensure faster handling of intermodal trains.