The Port of Bilbao has been selected as one of the three finalists of the IAPH Sustainability Awards 2026 in the Climate and Energy category for its project 'Building a Renewable Port Energy Community', focused on creating a renewable energy community within the port environment.
The proposal from the Port Authority of Bilbao will compete with the projects presented by the ports of Hamburg and Oslo. The recognition is part of the awards promoted by the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH), which distinguishes initiatives related to sustainability and the transformation of the international port sector.
The Bilbao project includes the creation of a Port Energy Community based on renewable energy generation, its storage within port facilities, and its subsequent availability to companies and operators that carry out their activities in the area.
The approach also incorporates electricity supply to ships during their stay in port through shore power systems, in addition to smart management tools aimed at coordinating production, storage, and energy consumption.
The Port Authority aims with this system to optimize the use of available resources and progressively reduce emissions related to port operations. The configuration of a self-sufficient energy infrastructure also seeks to decrease dependence on external sources and provide the area with greater capacity to adapt to changes in demand or conditions of the electrical system.
The initiative is part of the energy and decarbonization strategy being developed by the Port of Bilbao, within a process that includes the electrification of certain port activities and the incorporation of renewable sources into its energy consumption.
One of the central elements of the project is the possibility of generating electricity within the port itself and distributing it among different users. This model allows for joint energy management among facilities and operators with different consumption profiles, combining renewable production, storage, and demand.
Shore power is another component of the project. This technology allows ships connected to the land electrical grid to switch off their auxiliary engines while docked, reducing emissions and noise resulting from electricity generation on board during stops.
The IAPH Sustainability Awards are framed within the World Ports Sustainability Program, an initiative of the international organization dedicated to gathering and recognizing projects related to the main environmental, social, and economic challenges faced by ports.
The established system for selecting the winner combines the evaluation of an international jury of experts, which represents 70% of the score, with a public vote that accounts for the remaining 30%.
Voting will remain open until October 2 through the World Ports Sustainability Program page. The winning project in the Climate and Energy category will be announced on November 4 in London, coinciding with the celebration of the World Ports Conference.
The International Association of Ports and Harbors is a non-governmental organization of international scope that represents ports from different regions of the world and maintains lines of work related to sustainability, energy transition, digitalization, security, and risk management.
Its activities include cooperation among port authorities, knowledge exchange, and participation from the sector in international debates related to maritime transport and port activity.
