Düsseldorf, 15 February 2013 th An ambitious project is currently under way at the HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder to find out how the batteries of heavy goods vehicles can be charged exactly at the same time that there is a surplus of wind or solar power in the grid.
(Media-Newswire.com) - Düsseldorf, 15 February 2013 – An ambitious project is currently under way at the HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder to find out how the batteries of heavy goods vehicles can be charged exactly at the same time that there is a surplus of wind or solar power in the grid.
In order to determine the optimum time to charge the batteries of container transporters from an environmental and operational perspective, the HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder, a sub sidiary of the Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG ( HHLA ), the Gottwald Port Technology GmbH ( Gottwald ) and Vattenfall have joined forces with the universities of Oldenburg, Göttingen and Clausthal, which are coordinated by the Energy Research Centre of Lower Saxony ( EFZN ). The comprehensive research project BESIC ( Battery Electric Heavy Goods Transports within the Intelligent Container Terminal Operation ) is subsidised by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and has a total volume of around € 10.4 million.
This idea is based on an award-winning project: The HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder and Gottwald, which now belongs to Terex Port Solutions, received the renowned sustainability award Hanse Globe 2011 for the development of battery operated vehicles that transport containers 24 hours a day at the terminal. Now, within the framework of the BESIC project, the charging station developed for the battery operated vehicles should begin charging the batteries when there is a particularly large amount of electricity from renewable sources provided in the grid. In this way, wind or solar power generated at peak times ( peak power ) could be used if there is a temporary surplus available.
Sites near the coast such as port terminals are particularly well suited to harness wind power. In addition to this, the batteries of the automated guided vehicles ( AGVs ) could be used as a buffer for peak power. Among other things, the project is investigating the possibility of coordinating charging times with the terminal’s operating requirements and the peak loads of the electricity grid. To this end, a battery management system is being developed which determines suitable charging times from the exchange of data between Vattenfall’s load forecasting systems and the terminal management system of the HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder.
The innovative integration of the electrical grid and operational requirements of battery operated AGVs using information and communication technology constitutes the focus of the joint project BESIC. As part of the technology competition “ICT for E-mobility II – Smart Car – Smart Grid – Smart Traffic”, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology started to subsidise BESIC’s undertaking in January 2013 and will continue to do so for a period of three years until December 2015. The participating companies include HHLA, Gottwald and Vattenfall, as well as the Universities of Oldenburg, Göttingen and Clausthal coordinated by the Energy Research Centre of Lower Saxony ( EFZN ).
Both the practical feasibility and the commercial viability of such a model are examined. Conven tional diesel/electric AGVs are compared to AGVs that are powered by conventional battery technology or an innovative energy storage system. If such an intelligent charging strategy leads to clear savings in operating costs, it may well pave the way for such technology to be used in many related areas, for instance to run electric buses in the public transport network, conveyor vehicles in warehouses or battery operated apron vehicles at airports.
The following photos are available for download on the HHLA website under ‘Press’, Photos & Films/Current Press Photos.
Here you can also see a short film showing the battery operated AGV and the charging station in action.
About BESIC The BESIC project ( Battery Electric Heavy Goods Transports within the Intelligent Container Terminal Operation ) is part of a research programme funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology entitled “ICT for E-mobility II – Smart Car – Smart Grid – Smart Traffic” in which 16 projects are developing new concepts and technologies to facilitate the interaction of intelligent vehicle technology in electric vehicles ( smart cars ) with energy supply systems ( smart grids ) and traffic control systems ( smart traffic ) based on modern information and communication technology until the end of 2015. Please refer to www.ikt-em.de for more detailed information about the project.
About the EFZN The “Energie-Forschungszentrum Niedersachsen” ( Energy Research Centre of Lower Saxony ) located in the German Lower-Saxon city of Goslar is a scientific institution of the Clausthal University of Technology in cooperation with the Universities of Braunschweig, Göttingen, Hannover and Oldenburg. Its focus lies on issues pertaining to the entire energy- generation and energy-utilisation chain from the raw-material source to disposal. An average of 80 researchers from the fields of natural science, engineering science, law as well as the social and economic sciences works together under the same roof, thus facilitating an interdisciplinary approach to energy research. www.efzn.de
About Gottwald The Gottwald Port Technology GmbH is a company of Demag Cranes AG, in which the US company Terex Corporation has a majority stake. It is part of the Terex Port Solutions business group, a leading global provider of port technology with an extensive range of manual, semi-automated and automated solutions.
About HHLA Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG ( HHLA ) is a leading port logistics group in Europe. With its Container, Intermodal and Logisics segments, HHLA is positioned vertically along the transport chain. Efficient container terminals, high-capacity transport systems and a full range of logistics services form a complete network between the overseas port and its European hinterland.
About Vattenfall Vattenfall is a Swedish owned energy company with operations in Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, UK, France and Finland. Vattenfall’s vision is to create a strong and diversified European energy portfolio and to be among the leaders in developing an environmentally sustainable energy system.
About Terex Port Solutions Part of Terex Material Handling & Ports Solutions, Terex Port Solutions unites Gottwald Port Technology and Terex equipment, software and services into a single source serving customers in the port business. From quay cranes and reach stackers to fully automated, integrated and bulk handling systems, Terex Port Solutions offers more solutions to move cargo quickly, safely and efficiently, with less downtime and strong returns on investment.
About Terex Terex Corporation is a diversified global manufacturer reporting in five business segments: Aerial Work Platforms, Construction, Cranes, Material Handling & Port Solutions and Materials Processing. Terex manufactures a broad range of equipment for use in various industries, including the construction, infrastructure, quarrying, manufacturing, mining, shipping, transportation, refining, energy and utility industries. Terex offers financial products and services to assist in the acquisition of Terex equipment through Terex Financial Services. Terex uses its website to make information available to its investors and the market at www.terex.com
This story was released on 2013-02-26. Please make sure to visit the official company or organization web site to learn more about the original release date. See our disclaimer for additional information.
