U.S. EPA Announces Nearly $3 Billion for Clean Energy Projects in Ports

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Oct. 29 announced 55 project selections that would receive almost $3 billion under the agency’s Clean Ports Program. Funded by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, the program supports the deployment of clean energy, zero-emission vehicles, and infrastructure at U.S. ports. The projects would facilitate the purchase of new zero-emission equipment which could potentially reduce over 3 million metric tons of CO2 and 12 thousand short tons of nitrous oxide in the first decade of operation.

Covering 27 states and territories, these investments would provide zero-emission port equipment including more than 1,500 units of material handling equipment, 1,000 drayage trucks, 10 locomotives, and 20 vessels. The projects will also deploy shore power systems, and solar power generation, as well as installing charging and fueling infrastructure for battery-electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles.

The agency launched two funding opportunities for this program in February this year. The Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition to finance zero-emission port equipment and infrastructure to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. The Climate and Air Quality Planning Competition to support climate and air quality planning activities.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey secured an award of over $340 million to transition to zero-emissions technology. The project will develop electric cargo handling equipment and drayage trucks with charging infrastructure.

The Port of Detroit in Michigan will use over $20 million to procure battery-electric cargo handling equipment, vessels, railcar movers, and charging equipment. The port will also install solar arrays to meet the higher electricity demand.

The agency selected the Port Department of the City of Oakland for an award of over $320 million to purchase electric cargo handling systems, freight trucks, a battery storage system, and charging stations for electric equipment. The port will also remove a part of its current diesel fleet from operation.

The program selected the Port of Corpus Christi in Texas for an investment of over  $105 million to install clean energy power systems as well as deploy zero-emission cargo handling equipment and freight transport. The funding will cover the purchase of battery electric forklifts, a sweeper truck, locomotives, tugboats, and supporting charging infrastructure.

The Clean Ports Program not only aims to support the use of clean energy, but also improve air quality by removing or replacing fossil-fuel-powered vehicles and port equipment. The project selections support the National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization and the national objective of a zero-emissions freight sector.

Before receiving the final awards, the selected authorities will cooperate with the agency to develop final project plans. The projects will then move on to the implementation phase within the next three to four years.