With immediate effect, innovative pilot projects for the practical testing of environmentally friendly on-board and mobile (containerised, rolling or floating) shore power supply systems are eligible for funding.
Too many of the vessels moored in German ports or at berths and transhipment points currently still cover their electricity requirements with the help of diesel generators with high air pollutant, greenhouse gas and noise emissions. The on-board power, however, can be provided with low emission levels via alternative technologies, e.g. with the help of plug-in systems for shore power, batteries, fuel cells, gas generator sets or gas turbines. These can be operated with alternative energy sources, e.g. shore-side electricity, hydrogen, natural gas and biogenic or electricity-based fuels such as bio-LNG or methanol.
In addition to the pilot project funding, a separate funding guideline for the market activation of already field-tested environmentally friendly on-board power and mobile shore-side power supply technologies will be developed. With the help of the funding initiative of the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, environmentally friendly power for shipping can be offered competitively and thus contributes to achieving the climate policy goals of the federal government and reducing air pollutants. In 2019, up to 11 million euros will be available from the Federal Government’s Mobility and Fuel Strategy (MFS).