The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles have joined California’s bid to become one of four federally-funded hydrogen hubs in the United States. If California is awarded the grant, the ports would receive over $500 million in funding to implement hydrogen fuel technology into their operations. Funding for the federal grants is allocated through the Infrastructure and Jobs Act. The goal of these hydrogen hubs is to demonstrate the full abilities of a holistic hydrogen ecosystem, including generation, storage, distribution, and utilization.
From truck fleets to terminal equipment, port operations offer multiple opportunities to utilize hydrogen fuel. Managing Director of Planning and Environmental Affairs for the Port of Long Beach Heather Tomley, stated, “The Port of Long Beach sees hydrogen fuel cell technologies as having an important role in our transition to zero-emissions operations.”
Both ports have a goal of transitioning all terminal equipment to zero-emissions options by 2030 and port truck fleets to zero emissions by 2035. They have adopted some battery-electric vehicles to support this goal. However, these vehicles are limited by short driving ranges and expensive charging infrastructure.
The ability for these projects to display a broad range of hydrogen fuel capabilities and applications is an exciting prospect. As we continue to work towards and expanded hydrogen fuel infrastructure, we are encouraged by the efforts the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles are making to adopt hydrogen fuel technology.
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