Last Wednesday, 7 July, Mayor Bruls of Nijmegen opened the fully sustainable industrial building of EKI, including a solar park and shore power. In a spectacular move, he connected the solar park on the roofs of the old paper factory to the charging station that supplies green power to the ship 'Nijmegen MAX'. 

In Nijmegen's Kanaalhavens the slogan 'Old city, young vibe' is being put into practice. KIEN24 is opening a solar park and is the first in the Netherlands to use it to supply green electricity to charging stations for ships. Another special feature: through energy supplier Van de Bron, anyone in the Netherlands can select green power from the former paper factory where EKI is housed. A special tariff has even been arranged for the neighbouring Hees residential area. An example of creative, innovative and sustainable entrepreneurship.

Shore power for better air quality
Shore power is a power supply for ships on shore. The municipality would like to have this power in the canal harbour in order to improve the air quality in the city. Just like cars and trucks, ships also emit harmful substances. Not only when they are sailing, but also ashore when the generators on board are running. Shore power ensures that the diesel generators can be switched off and that no more harmful substances are emitted. 

Support from CLINSH
The municipality has already installed quayside electricity on public quays, such as the Waalkade and in the Waalhaven. It would like to see this power also available on the quays of companies (such as in the Kanaalhavens). For this reason the municipality has commissioned Ecotap, via a call for tenders, to realise the charging posts at EKI. Earlier the municipality supported the realisation of shore power at the asphalt factory APN and at the new site of Derks GWW. The support is partly from the CLINSH project (CLean INland SHipping) of the EU-LIFE subsidy programme.