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 with an announcement from the U.S. Department of Energy 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, the nation’s largest seaport complex, 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.

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 (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.

“We’re thrilled to play a significant role in this hydrogen hub public-private partnership,” said Los Angeles Harbor Commission President Lucille Roybal-Allard. “Transitioning to hydrogen fuel technology in the maritime and transportation industries is critical as the Port of Los Angeles moves toward our ultimate goal of zero emissions.”

“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 emission future.”

Together, the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles created the landmark Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) — a sweeping, innovative and comprehensive strategy to tackle every source of port-related air pollution.

(Port of Los Angeles photo)