Basel harbour area wants to save energy

Energy consumption on the Basel harbour area could be reduced by 20 to 25 per cent in the future. This is shown by a joint project of the local stakeholders with IWB and Sympheny. It shows that an association for self-consumption is the optimal solution.

The players on the Basel port site could reduce their energy costs by 20 to 25 per cent, Industrielle Werke Basel(IWB) explains in a statement. The energy supplier is basing this on an analysis carried out by IWB together with the companies based on the port site, Schweizerische Rheinhäfen, Rhenus Alpina AG and Ultra-Brag AG, as well as the young company Sympheny from Technopark Winterthur. As a result, the analysis shows a far-reaching energy concept that relies on an interconnection for self-consumption.

“The planning for the harbour area was complex, as the numerous electrical consumers, such as cranes and buildings, had to be taken into account,” Bernd Weinmann, senior strategy developer at IWB, is quoted in the statement. This is where the solutions of Empa spin-off Sympheny came into play, with which resilient models were created and viable scenarios developed. “This enables the consortium to make objectified strategic decisions for the future development of the port area,” Weinmann says.

Two photovoltaic systems already in use are to be supplemented by a third on the roof of Terminal 4, explains Rhenus Alpina CEO Andreas Stöckli. Ultimately, the partners want to produce more electricity in the port than they need themselves. “It was clear to us that we therefore needed an overall concept for the port area,” says Stöckli. “IWB and Sympheny provided us with very good support in this complex process