Energy island is innovative concept for large-scale electricity storage


Electricity storage has a large added value for the energy sector. Storage increases the technical reliability of energy supplies, stabilizes the cost price of electricity and contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions.
Large-scale storage is pre-eminently suitable in electricity markets with a relatively large amount of wind energy, a situation which, according to expectations, will also apply for the Netherlands by about the year 2020. The island also offers numerous other possibilities, varying from coast protection to ports and from aquatic biomass to tourism.

Enormous savings
Scenario analyses for the year 2020 show that ‘The Netherlands Ltd.’ can make enormous annual savings on operational costs when electricity storage is an integral part of the electricity system. Not for nothing is electricity storage a topical subject for organizations such as the Dutch Sustainable Electricity Supplies Transition Platform (Transitieplatform Duurzame Elektriciteitsvoorziening).
The cost saving becomes larger as the gas price increases. Instead of replacing one or more existing peak power stations (or building a new one) investment can also be made in a large-scale storage system.

Environmental advantages
The addition of electricity storage in the electricity net has many environmental advantages, especially in combination with a large amount of wind energy in the electricity system. In this situation electricity power stations need to be taken offline less often, especially at night, or run at a low capacity. By day the stored electricity can be used as a result of which no extra peak power station needs to be used. This increases the energy efficiency of electricity production. The production of wind energy can moreover be used at any moment, as a result of which the CO2 emissions for the total electricity production in the Netherlands are reduced.

Pump generators
The principle of the subsurface-lake power station is made technically possible by using the several tens of meters thick clay layer under the floor of the North Sea. When there is a surplus of electricity, sea water is pumped out of the lake into the surrounding sea; when there is a shortage, sea water flows into the lake while driving a generator. The pump generators required are commercially available. In the first design for the energy island, KEMA and the Lievense bureau extended on the established techniques of the dredging industry. The storage capacity is sufficient to provide more than 12 hours of power at a capacity of 1,500 MW, comparable to the capacity of a large electricity power station in the Netherlands. The energy island is an innovative concept that can be attractive in the medium and long term for the Dutch electricity supplies. In a subsequent stage, a detailed location study is planned and the technical capabilities and economic and ecological values of the other functions will be investigated.

The study into this innovative concept has been carried out with financial contributions from the energy companies Delta, Eneco, Nuon, E.ON Benelux, EPZ, Essent and TenneT and with a subsidy from the We@Sea Foundation (Stichting We@Sea).

05-07-2007

Redevelopment Port of Larnaca in Cruise Terminal


The Government of Cyprus has decided to develop Larnaca (the former container port adjacent to the town of Larnaca) as a major cruise port incorporated in a large scale seafront development with megayacht facilities and marina.










A tender was organized and Lievense has been requested to join the Zenon consortium lead by Bouygues and incorporating local companies including cruise companies. The consortium will prepare a bid for a 30 year concession including port infrastructure investments, operations of the port and marina, and real estate development.

Lievense will prepare a port master plan for the cruise port, cargo facilities, marina and megayacht facility. In addition conceptual designs and cost estimates will be prepared. The marine facilities will comprise cruise jetties, breakwaters, terminal building and bus station.

Activities:
* port masterplanning
* conceptual design
* cost estimation

Container and freight port Bahamas


The Government of the Bahamas prepared a Master Plan to revitalize downtown Nassau. A critical element in the revitalization strategy is the relocation of the container port from the downtown where it is seen to be disrupting traffic, inhibiting redevelopment, discouraging tourism and in general preventing the best use of waterfront. The location chosen was an inland one in the southwest of the island adjacent to the Bahamas Electricity Corporation Power Plant and the Commonwealth Brewery. This location was selected as part of a sister study which reviewed seven possible locations. The main rationale for the selection of the location was environmental. It was determined that an inland port at this location would have the least marine environmental impact.
The study will include a phased approach for Port layout, including multi-year considerations and alternatives as to the scale of port facilities required to meet current as well as projected carrier requirements at New Providence. This analysis should determine the required port infrastructure e.g., channel access, berthing facilities, container yard requirements, container handling equipment needs, access gate, terminal support facilities such as fencing, lighting, utilities, drainage, reefer plugs, security systems, environmental consequences and mitigation, permitting, and marine activity support requirements such as pilot boat and tug mooring facilities, and customs and inspection facilities in support of the new port. It should also determine the need for and costs of supporting infrastructure. The planning and analysis for the port should be conducted to a level of detail sufficient to provide a conceptual layout plan, order of magnitude of the capital cost of the terminal, and a terminal development implementation schedule. This project is executed together with Ecorys.

Activities:

* port masterplanning
* port operational analysis
* conceptual design
* cost estimation