To advance its zero-emissions goals, the Port of Long Beach has joined the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES), a public-private partnership formed to help capture newly available federal funding to assist in developing a robust renewable hydrogen market in California.
ARCHES will serve as the lead applicant for California’s bid to win funding for a hydrogen hub under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) program.
Hydrogen power represents a tremendous opportunity — both for our state and for cities like Long Beach. We’re looking forward to California leading the way through investment in sustainable technology
said Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia.
According to Long Beach Councilwoman Cindy Allen “green hydrogen is a powerful tool, and it can potentially be used to decarbonize the heaviest industries and energy uses, like shipping, aviation, and heavy duty trucks. It will also address the concerns and needs of communities who have sustained the disproportionate burden of environmental impacts.”
What is more, Port of Long Beach Executive Director Mario Cordero, explained that “with $8 billion in federal funding available, we want to ensure we have as much leverage as possible to see that our fair share comes to California, and specifically to the ports.”
In order to tackle greenhouse gases and criteria pollutants, the Port of Long Beach has set a goal of all zero-emissions cargo-handling equipment by 2030 and a zero-emissions drayage truck fleet by 2035.
The Port has also committed $150 million to support zero and near-zero emissions demonstration projects inside the port and on Southern California roads. To date, $70 million in grant funding has been secured to help support these projects.
Recently, the Port informed that the increase in supply chain disruptions, COVID-19 restrictions, and record cargo volumes created unprecedented numbers of ships waiting along the coast and congestion at the San Pedro Bay port complex, driving up emissions in 2021.
The Port of Long Beach’s annual emissions inventory report, presented to the Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners on Monday, found diesel soot is down 88%, nitrogen oxides have decreased 49%, and sulfur oxides have decreased 96% compared to 2005.
In the prior study year, diesel particulates had decreased 90%, nitrogen oxides 62%, and sulfur oxides 97%. The Port uses a baseline of 2005, the year before the original San Pedro Bay Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) was adopted.