Op-Ed: Ports face challenges to deliver $3B Clean Ports Program

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Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Nina Alizada

By Emily Alexander, Associate Carbon Scientist, Tunley Environmental

Sustainability consultancy Tunley Environmental is working with ports on the Great Lakes, including Detroit, to help them to decarbonize. Here, Alexander gives her advice on how ports can prepare for the now released $3 billion of Clean Ports Program funding.

With the U.S. Presidential election campaign stepping it up this week, with both candidates touring the battleground states, the Federal Government has just announced the lucky ports who will share the $3 billion of Clean Ports Program funding.

Emily Alexander.

Tunley Environmental’s advice to port and terminal operators, especially those which have applied for electric equipment and vehicle grants, is to move quickly. It is essential ports are at the “front of the line” for highly sought after materials and equipment.

As background the grants are being made available as part of the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Ports Program. The program provides funding for specific zero emissions technology such as electric vehicles, along with support for ports at an earlier stage in their decarbonization journey to develop a greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory of their activities.

The essential route to cutting those greenhouse gases is electrification of port equipment and vehicles, and continued research for a zero emission replacement fuel for cargo ships.

With the EPA grants covering some of the capital expenditure costs, electrification offers emissions reduction, reduced noise and vibration, and critically a financial advantage, as electric equipment is cheaper to run than equivalent diesel.

There will be challenges to overcome on the electrification journey. The EPA Clean Ports Program aims to inject stimulus into US manufacturing with a Build American, Buy American clause for equipment that states that 55% of the equipment components must be built in America and assembled here as well, with few exceptions. While this is a welcome boost to American business, ports must move fast to secure U.S. equipment or, if that is not possible, determine what imports are eligible and what the lead in times are. The key point is there is likely to be a sharp pinch point in supply and demand for certain types of equipment.

As a result, we anticipate the green technology market is about to become much more competitive and expensive as funding is released. It will be vital to secure equipment ahead of the competition and before prices spike with surging demand.

In addition, we suggest kick starting with discussions with your local utility to ensure adequate electrical site capacity.

Port operators that receive a planning grant to begin decarbonization work will likely need to partner with an organization that specializes in developing GHG inventories to collect data and calculate the baseline carbon emissions—the first step in planning to lower ones carbon impact.

You need to know the starting point before you develop your port and organization’s sustainability goals. Once your baseline is in established, strategic planning and implementation can take place, to determine how to feasibly and effectively reduce carbon emissions associated with port activity.

There are many other considerations that port owners and operators need to take into account as they develop and begin to deliver their plans.

It is important to continue to build relationships with nearby communities and community partners. A large portion of the EPA Clean Port Program is to promote clean air in near-port communities. Ensuring your plans are communicated with partners, as well as the general community, will help keep those relationships healthy and will build trust in your organization’s commitment to a healthy community.

It is also important to consider there are other options to incrementally reduce carbon emissions and other harmful pollution that are not funded by the grant and can be explored by ports and their terminal operators.

This includes biofuels, which can serve as a transition fuel, as it is compatible in current diesel equipment, and 100% biodiesel (B100) can reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 74%, according to the US Department of Energy.

Additionally, increasing efficiency of operations can result in lower carbon emissions with no equipment change. 

The journey towards decarbonization will not be straightforward. Ports are complex and large systems, often with many different organizations and operations that fall within their boundaries.

Expert advice will be important throughout the implementation process, focusing on the methods and technology available to reduce carbon emissions.

Ongoing work will be needed to ensure emissions are being accurately monitored and reported and progress is tracked from year to year.

The data collection process is long and can be challenging. It requires experience of creating a database, managing data, and ensuring the correct data is captured in order to ensure the baseline is calculated accurately and transparently.

The key is to work in partnership with specialists that can help, using their expertise to provide advice and innovative solutions for sustainable development, environmental management and climate resilience.

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