The San Pedro Bay ports’ efforts to help seed a robust green hydrogen market to assist in the pursuit of zero-emissions operations got jump-started this week with an announcement from the US Department of Energy that it will award a grant of up to US$1.2 billion to a public-private partnership formed to lead California’s bid to create a hydrogen hub
The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, which together comprise the US largest seaport complex, are project partners in the effort to advance the use of hydrogen fuel in goods movement via ARCHES funding.
The Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) funds will be distributed to projects around the country with the two San Pedro Bay ports learning how much funding they will get in the next months. These funds, to be matched by the ports and their tenants, will involve the deployment of hydrogen fuel cell cargo-handling equipment and mobile hydrogen fueling trucks or stations in the ports’ terminals.
Subsequent phases will add additional cargo-handling equipment and support the statewide deployment of 5,000 hydrogen fuel cell heavy-duty trucks.
“By establishing a Green Hydrogen Hub, we will now have the capacity to accelerate the production of renewable hydrogen that will clean our air, generate high-quality green jobs for our local communities, and help power California into the future,” stated Rex Richardson, Mayor of Long Beach.
ARCHES administered California’s grant application for a green hydrogen hub under the US Department of Energy’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs (H2Hubs) programme. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the H2Hubs programme will be one of the largest investments in the history of the Department of Energy.
“Hydrogen will have a critical role as we leverage multiple technology options to achieve zero emissions. This funding ARCHES has secured is an important opportunity to accelerate the zero-emissions revolution happening at the San Pedro Bay ports complex,” noted Mario Cordero, CEO of Port of Long Beach.
Moreover, the Port of Long Beach recently issued a request for information to gauge interest in developing hydrogen infrastructure in the harbour. Numerous proposals were received, covering a variety of potential project types. The information will be used to determine the next steps for advancing hydrogen infrastructure in the port area.
It is important to note that the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles created the Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP), a sweeping, innovative and comprehensive strategy to tackle every source of port-related air pollution.
