Smart distributed generation and energy storage for nearly zero-energy ports: cold ironing optimisation within a collaborative quality framework

The transition toward decentralized, digitalized power systems creates new opportunities for integrating distributed generation, energy storage, and large-scale electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure within smart grid architectures. This study examines cold ironing, the supply of shore-side electricity to berthed vessels, as a form of large-scale EV charging infrastructure and develops a collaborative port energy community framework for its design, management, and quality governance. The framework integrates ISO 50001 energy management and ISO 37101 community sustainability standards with a genetic algorithm (GA) optimization of photovoltaic (PV) distributed generation and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery energy storage systems (BESS). Twelve scenarios are evaluated at the Port of Ancona across four electrification scales (1.7–52 GWh/year) and three technology configurations (grid-only, grid + PV, grid + PV + BESS). Smart energy management dispatch logic prioritizing self-consumption, storage buffering, and grid interaction governs the hourly simulation. The optimal full-electrification configuration (30.2 MWp PV, 18.6 MWh BESS) achieves an LCOE of 0.211 EUR/kWh, an interna rate of return (IRR) of 36.12%, and a payback period of 2.77 years, while the optimal targeted configuration (12.9 MWp PV, 12.4 MWh BESS) achieves the highest carbon footprint reduction of 56.04%. All configurations satisfy the quality criteria derived from the ISO 50001 and ISO 37101 governance frameworks. A technology readiness level (TRL) assessment identifies the integrated system at TRL 6–7, with individual components at TRL 8–9. The findings demonstrate that dock-by-dock clustered electrification outperforms monolithic sizing in decarbonization intensity, and that the energy community governance model provides a viable institutional pathway for multi-stakeholder coordination in port energy infrastructure.