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, according to the company's release.
The partnership was celebrated Thursday during a launch event at the Port Administration Building attended by officials from the Port, City of Long Beach, the Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development, the University of California Office of the President, labor organizations, Renewables 100, and state and local officials.
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. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the H2Hubs program will be one of the largest investments in the history of the Department of Energy.
Last month, the Port announced that a trucking company partner will convert to fully-zero emissions by 2025 – 10 years before the 2035 goal.
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. Today, about 17% of the cargo-handling equipment at the Port is electric powered, the largest such fleet in the United States. 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.
The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s premier seaports, a gateway for trans-Pacific trade and a trailblazer in goods movement and environmental stewardship. With 175 shipping lines connecting Long Beach to 217 seaports, the Port handles $200 billion in trade annually.