On Friday 12 April, the world‘s first fast charging facility aimed at fishing vessels will open in Ramberg harbor in Lofoten. Emissions from fishing vessels have increased considerably since 2014, and account for 2% of Norway’s total CO2 emissions. The plant marks an important milestone for the decarburisation of one of Norway’s leading industries, and is the first in a future charging network.
Safe and user-friendly
The land power and charging facility has been developed and built by Plug Lofoten in collaboration with Flakstad municipality. The pilot plant has been built with support from Grønn Plattform via the research and development project Zerokyst. The aim is to develop and test solutions that cut emissions in the seafood industry.
Project manager at Plug Lofoten, Hanne Grøn, is very pleased to have put the first plant into operation:
– Through Zerokyst, we have worked across the board with boat builders, technical maritime environments and, not least, talked to the fishermen themselves to arrive at what we hope will be a safe and good solution for the electrical conversion for the fishing fleet, she says.
Need for connected charging networks
– The pilot plant in Ramberg is the first step on the way towards what we hope will be more accessible and safe electricity in the ports along the coast in northern Norway, says Maria Bos, director of Plug AS – a company owned by Eviny. Together with Lofotkraft Muligheter AS, they are behind the company Plug Lofoten, which has several plants in Lofoten under planning.
According to CEO of Lofotkraft AS, Arnt M. Winther, a coherent charging network along the coast is a prerequisite for fishermen to choose to go electric.
– In the development that is required, we have ambitions to contribute. It is therefore a milestone to have the first plant in Lofoten in operation.
Sees many advantages of electric operation
Fisherman Øystein Angelsen owns the hybrid vessel Angelsen Senior, which is often docked in Ramberg. The 21-metre-long boat is rigged for trawling.
– We chose to install a battery pack of 270 kWh 5 years ago to use electricity in operating situations where we have little energy consumption during large periods of the operating time, such as when we are at the quay and delivering fish. We are therefore very happy that the facility at Ramberg is now being upgraded so that we can charge the battery faster and can save fuel and CO2 emissions.
Forward-looking fishing municipality
For many years, Flakstad municipality has worked actively with the environment and climate as part of business and social development. Through projects such as “climate-friendly coastal fishing”, they have taken the lead and built knowledge which is an important foundation in ZeroKyst.
For mayor Einar Benjaminsen, it is about more than fisheries and electricity:
– Flakstad municipality will help transform itself into a society where growth and development takes place within nature’s tolerable limits, he says.
The facility in Ramberg harbor can deliver:
- Fast charging with CCS with a capacity of 100 kW per outlet (can be scaled up to 250 kW per outlet in the future)
- Normallading med Type 2, 22 kW
- Industrial sockets from 16A-125A on both 230V and 400V, 50 Hz, for shore power
The plant is built in accordance with NEK 400 and in accordance with NEK’s guide VL 80-4 Landstrøm for the fishing industry.
Contact persons:
- Svein-Joar Husjord, project engineer Plug Lofoten, tel. 975 24 842
- Randi Lervik, project manager Lofotkraft Opportunities/ZeroKyst, tel. 916 74 790
- Jørn Aarsland, business manager Flakstad municipality, tel. 920 54 893
- Camilla Neumann-Berg, press officer Plug, tel. 415 85 676
- Maria Bos, manager Plug AS, tel. 975 78 136