Summary of Clean Air Action Plan Stakeholder Advisory Meeting
On June 24, the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles held a virtual meeting to update the public on progress toward the goals of the San Pedro Bay Ports Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP). This was the second CAAP Advisory meeting of 2020. The CAAP 2017 Update is a comprehensive strategy for accelerating progress toward a zero-emission future while protecting and strengthening the ports’ competitive position in the global economy. The ports took public comments at the advisory meeting and received input on CAAP implementation issues. During the meeting both ports talked about the implications of COVID-19 and its large impact on shipping. Port of Los Angeles is down 15% for cargo throughput for the year. The pandemic did have a slowdown effect on the CAAP’s activities and goals but progress has still continued.
The Drayage Truck Feasibility Study was completed in Spring 2019 stating “no zero emission trucks are feasible today” while near-zero natural gas engines are considered near-feasible yet are now at technology readiness level (TRL) 9. Thus, an amendment to the feasibility study was added in May 2020. Future truck feasibility amendments must specify the following minimum criteria: 1) The findings must identify specific elements of the Feasibility Assessment to be updated. 2) Supporting data specific to the requested elements must be provided. 3) The data must be corroborated by a creditable third party with technical expertise and involvement with generation of the data. The Drayage Truck Feasibility Study will be conducted every 3 years with the next study to begin in 2021 to perform a round of assessments that will evaluate commercial availability, technical viability, operational feasibility, infrastructure availability and economic workability.
The Clean Truck Fund Rate was adopted by the San Pedro Bay Ports Board in March 2020 that specified a rate of $10 per loaded twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU). Zero emission trucks are exempt from this rate and funds collected from the Clean Truck Rate Fund will be used to incentivize zero and near-zero truck adoption. The ports are currently working out the details on how the funds from the rate would be divided to zero emission and near-zero emission trucks. They need to make sure emission reductions are accounted for in the State Implementation Plan (SIP). The Ports, SCAQMD and CARB are having weekly meetings on this action. Next step is for the Board to consider a contract for rate collection mechanism, followed by considering the incentive program structure for zero and near-zero emission trucks.
The ports are currently drafting a long-term strategy for the 2035 100% zero emission truck goal, it will be released to the public for review. Thus far, the scope has been developed and initial work has begun. The ports hope to have commercially available zero emission trucks by 2023. Part of the long-term strategy is to conduct a Truck Manufacturer Summit to be held as a high level agency meeting to get commitments from OEMs; anticipated for August/early fall. Objectives for this summit would be to identify the actions of policymakers, regulators, equipment manufacturers, equipment operators, and other key stakeholders needed to build and transition to a market for zero emissions heavy-duty trucks and to obtain commitments from stakeholders for coordinated action. There will be a report out to the public stakeholders on the outcome of the summit.
The ports are working on a concept paper for a zero emission large-scale pilot demonstration drayage program as well as working with AQMD and drayage fleets to develop a proposal for the upcoming CARB/CEC solicitation. CAAP staff is continuously accepting concepts for projects under the CAAP Technology Advancement Program. Currently the port truck registry has 17,966 trucks including 77 CNG trucks and 20 zero emission trucks that are part of different demonstration projects.
In terms of the current hydrogen projects at the two ports, only Port of Los Angeles is currently engaged in fuel cell projects. The ZECT II Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell truck deployment is still underway with 6 out of the 7 deployed to date. The CARB Shore-to-Store ZANZEFF project is currently underway with delivery of 3 out of the 10 Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell trucks from Kenworth and Toyota. The two heavy duty hydrogen stations, as part of the project, are in different phases of construction but both expected to be completed by end of the year with the Ontario location currently in the commissioning stage. By the end of 2020, a total of 5 fuel cell Class 8 trucks from Kenworth will have been delivered to Port of LA. This project suffered delays from COVID-19 as Kenworth was shut down for two months from March to May. The remaining 5 fuel cell Class 8 trucks will be delivered by April 2021.
More information on the CAAP and the presentations from today’s meeting can be found here: https://cleanairactionplan.org/about-the-plan/stakeholder-advisory-group/?mc_cid=1f81e594fa&mc_eid=7a1baef027