The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach in California, which handle about 40% of US container traffic, are significant contributors to coastal air pollution. These ports are now prioritising the decarbonisation of their cargo handling equipment (CHE), which is responsible for over 15% of port emissions.
Most CHE currently operates on diesel, but transitioning to zero-emissions alternatives could greatly improve local air quality and mitigate climate impacts. The primary obstacle in this transition is that there is not enough data to guide decisions regarding technology pathways and infrastructure needs.
In a July 10 article written for RMI, a non-profit organization originally known as the Rocky Mountain Institute, authors Mia Reback, Nocona Sanders, Andrew Waddell, and Pablo Muñoz shared how they tried to tackle this dearth of information.
RMI and the Mission Possible Partnership conducted an analysis of the cost of ownership for four types of CHE. Their findings indicate that zero-emissions yard tractors and rubber-tired gantry cranes are already cost-competitive with diesel models. However, top handlers and forklifts remain more expensive.
Insights from the analysis show that the shift to zero-emissions CHE is both economically viable and technologically feasible. Many terminals are already testing or deploying electric equipment.
Nonetheless, more than 3,000 pieces of equipment will need to be converted to meet the 2030 net-zero goal. The costs for that will exceed $2.5 billion, but they can be partly offset by various federal and state incentives as well as tax credits.
They wrote:
Replacing existing diesel cargo handling equipment with net-zero alternatives will require significant volumes of green electricity and/or green hydrogen to be delivered to ports.
“The Time Is Now for Zero-Emissions Cargo Handling Equipment at America’s Busiest Cargo Ports,” by Mia Reback, Nocona Sanders, Andrew Waddell, and Pablo Muñoz. RMI, July 10, 2024.
Upgrades will be necessary for electrical grid infrastructure serving the ports to accommodate the increased load from recharging hundreds of pieces of equipment, like the upgrades Southern California Edison are already planning for a new transmission-level substation and other grid enhancements to serve an expected increase in demand at POLB. Infrastructure for hydrogen delivery and refueling will also be necessary to ensure cost-effective delivery of zero-emissions fuel.
Read the full article originally published by RMI on July 10, 2024.
