Flagship E-mobility project BESIC enters crucial phase in Port of Hamburg

The HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) is becoming an open-air laboratory for Germany’s energy transition. Ten battery-operated heavy goods vehicles now transport containers between ships and the yard at the highly automated handling facility in the Port of Hamburg. The aim is to charge the batteries of these container transporters when the grid has a surplus of renewable energy generated in northern Germany. In addition to practical considerations, the project focuses on the model’s commercial viability, the Port of Hamburg said in a news release.

The first battery-powered heavy goods vehicles in the world went into use at the HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA) back in 2011. Now, a project is bringing together businesses and research institutions that are keen to find out how the batteries for these automated guided vehicles (AGVs) can be charged using surplus green power generated in northern Germany. To this end, a battery administration system is being developed as part of the BESIC research project (Battery Electric Heavy Goods Transports within the Intelligent Container Terminal Operation). The system calculates the ideal charging times – in both ecological and economic terms – by exchanging data with Vattenfall’s load forecasting system and the CTA terminal management system.

As part of the BESIC project, standard diesel/electric automated guided vehicles are being compared with AGVs that are powered by conventional lead-acid batteries or by innovative lithium-ion technology. If the intelligent charging strategy significantly cuts operating costs, it could pave the way for heavy goods vehicles.

For the project, the companies Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA), Gottwald Port Technology GmbH – which belongs to Terex Port Solutions – and Vattenfall have joined forces with the universities of Oldenburg, Göttingen and Clausthal, which are being coordinated by the Energy Research Centre of Lower Saxony (EFZN). BESIC is being subsidised by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy as part of its technology competition “ICT for E-mobility II – Smart Car – Smart Grid – Smart Traffic”. ICT stands for information and communication technology. The project was rolled out in January 2013 and was already selected by the German government as a flagship e-mobility project in May 2013.

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 18 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 Terex Port Solutions/Gottwald Port Technology
With its Material Handling & Port Solutions segment, Terex Corporation is one of the world’s leading suppliers of industrial cranes, crane components and services under the Demag brand name as well as port technology with a wide range of manual, semi-automated and automated solutions under the Terex® and Terex® Gottwald brand names. Terex Material Handling & Port Solutions manufactures in 16 countries on five continents and is present in more than 60 countries with its own sales and service network. The segment is divided into two business groups. Port technology is concentrated in the Terex Port Solutions business group, where Gottwald Port Technology GmbH is managed.

About HHLA
Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG (HHLA) is a leading port logistics group in Europe. With its Container, Intermodal and Logistics 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.