An MPC-based energy management system for fast shore charging of ferries at a smart port

This study presents a shore-charging infrastructure for the port of Intra on Maggiore lake, Italy, designed to support electric ferries, a photovoltaic plant, and a battery energy storage system. A model predictive control-based energy management strategy is introduced to optimize the power dispatch among port resources. The shore-charging power profile is obtained using a deterministic approach based on actual operational schedules, real monitored data on port electricity consumption, and constraints related to operational limits of the various resources. The methodology employs a linear programming approach to ensure efficient energy management while meeting the high-power demands of fast shore-charging. The proposed solution is validated through simulations of various configurations of the port of Intra, demonstrating the feasibility of the operational profiles related to ferries scheduling. This work demonstrates the potential for electrifying ports and ferries operating on Maggiore lake through the exploitation of an energy management strategy and improved infrastructure solutions.