Carnival Corporation will equip the two cruise terminals it manages in the Port of Barcelona with solar panels. This photovoltaic installation, located on the roofs of the buildings, will supply more than 100% of the energy needed for daily operations and reduce overall electricity consumption.
Carnival Corporation has partnered with a Catalonia-based solar energy provider to install 1,350 solar panels at Palacruceros (Terminal D) and Helix Cruise Center (Terminal E), which together will produce more than 866,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually. Installation of the solar panels began in July at Palacruceros, and the entire project at both terminals is scheduled for completion by the end of 2024.
Furthermore, the surplus energy generated by the solar panels, estimated at 32% for the Helix Cruise Center alone, can be fed back into the local electricity grid to improve the overall utilization of renewable energy generation in the port. In total, more than 245,000 kWh of surplus energy will be injected into the grid each year, equivalent to the average annual consumption of 60 households.
This project joins several others to deploy photovoltaic panels in the Port of Barcelona. The most prominent is the one led by CILSA in the ZAL Port, which will feature the largest rooftop photovoltaic park in Europe. However, progress is also being made in photovoltaic energy production at other points within the port area, such as the innovative energy community deployed at the Pescadors dock.
“With this latest project with Carnival Corporation, we are reinforcing the foundations of our new energy model, based on renewable energy, energy storage, and a smart grid,” said Lluís Salvadó, President of the Port of Barcelona. “Sustainability has always been our driving force, and these efforts have proudly placed us at the forefront of generating environmental and economic prosperity in our great port, our city, and our region.”.
“The shift to renewable energy is an integral part of our global strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize our environmental footprint in the destinations we visit,” said Karin Plettner Rutishauser, Vice President of Global Ports and Destinations Strategy at Carnival Corporation. “By partnering with the Port of Barcelona, the solar panels at our terminals will significantly contribute to clean energy production and benefit both the local community and our more than one million cruise passengers who enjoy this vibrant city each year.”.
Follow cruise news at Cruisesnews.es
