The Port of Oakland has received a financial boost from the U.S. Department of Energy. The DOE has awarded the port $2.5 million toward the development and demonstration of fuel cell technology, Oakland announced Sept. 30.
The grant, which is part of the Biden administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is expected to help fund the more than $7 million project. Stakeholders such as the Alameda County Transportation Commission, TraPac and Hyster-Yale Group are expected to contribute funding under current cost-sharing agreements. Alameda CTC is anticipated to fund up to $2 million toward the project.
The project seeks to push the concept of commercializing zero-emissions container handling equipment by creating and testing a pair of zero-emissions fuel cell electric top loaders “at a high technology readiness,” using Hyundai’s Class 8 fuel cell electric truck to close a key technology gap and support the development of the first zero-emission hydrogen wet-hose mobile refueler, according to the Northern California seaport.
The demonstrations are expected to take four years, the port said.
“We are working non-stop towards achieving the goal of becoming a zero-emissions port,” Oakland seaport Executive Director Danny Wan said. “We thank the U.S. Department of Energy for selecting Oakland to be part of this hydrogen project. Oakland is at the forefront of this innovative clean energy technology for the transportation industry.”
