Hydrogen Era Dawns at San Pedro Bay Port Complex

SAN PEDRO —The San Pedro Bay ports’ efforts to help seed a green hydrogen market to assist in the pursuit of zero-emissions operations kicked off with an announcement from the U.S. Department of Energy Oct. 13 that it will award up to $1.2 billion in grant funding to a public-private partnership formed to lead California’s bid to create a hydrogen hub.

The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are project partners and will receive a portion of the state’s grant funds to advance the use of hydrogen fuel in goods movement. These funds, which will be equally matched by the ports and their tenants, will involve deploying 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.

Department of Energy announcement

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announcement

ARCHES – the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems – administered California’s grant application for a green hydrogen hub under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs or H2Hubs program. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the H2Hubs program will be one of the largest investments in the history of the Department of Energy.

“The Port of Los Angeles is eager to partner with ARCHES in our quest to zero-emissions operations,” said Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles. “We’ll use this grant, along with unprecedented levels of port funding, to support the purchase of hydrogen fuel cell-powered equipment on all modes of transportation throughout the port complex. We are excited about the transformation that hydrogen will play in our zero-emissions future.”

Together, the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles created the landmark Clean Air Action Plan or CAAP — a strategy to tackle port-related air pollution.
Details: www.cleanairactionplan.org.