Port of Stockton
CEC Proposes $200K Award to Develop Zero-Emission Freight Facility Electrification Blueprint
Sacramento, Calif. May 18, 2021 – Change is inevitable and often messy. Much like a large ship, it’s very difficult to redirect a large organization or ecosystem. California’s Ports are among the largest ecosystems currently changing direction – from reliance on fossil fuels to clean, zero-emission equipment powered by renewable energy.
The Port of Stockton has already transitioned many pieces of equipment to new zero-emission technologies, including one of North America’s first battery-electric locomotive railcar movers. But that’s not far enough for Port of Stockton Environmental & Public Affairs Director, Jeff Wingfield. He has a personal goal to get the Port to completely zero emissions.
Until now, the Port has applied for grants and seized opportunities to upgrade as they became available, but Wingfield knew that approach wouldn’t accomplish his goal. He knew that without a clear and actionable plan, the Port’s sustainable transition would be too slow. So, with the help of the cleantech transformation experts at Momentum, the Port of Stockton applied for a California Energy Commission (CEC) grant to fund a Blueprinting process. Last month, the CEC announced intentions to award the Port $200,000 for their Port of Stockton MD/HD Electrification Blueprint proposal.
“In the past, we’ve been very reactive to grant opportunities, instead of taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture,” explained Wingfield, “This Blueprint is an opportunity to chart an intentional and strategic course of action into our zero-emission future.”
Thanks to this grant, the Port of Stockton will develop a feasible, readily deployable, and replicable roadmap to enable the rapid transition to medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles and port cargo-handling equipment. The plan is to set an example of environmental stewardship to enhance and support the transition to zero-emission technologies among the Port’s tenants, the Central Valley’s diverse industrial fleets, and the trucking, stevedoring, agriculture, and maritime industries. The Port’s Blueprint will send a clear market signal that a cohesive and reliable framework for electric infrastructure can be scalable accessible to all.
The end result will be a cleaner, more sustainable Port with ripple effects through supply chain across the Central Valley, which directly benefits the surrounding communities.
“Overall our goal is to reduce impacts to the adjacent communities and this gives us an opportunity to get our vision on paper and develop a plan to implement it,” said Wingfield.
The Port’s Blueprint will identify and address barriers to electric vehicle adoption relevant to the Port’s fleet and utility infrastructure, its tenants, industry partners, and the Port’s own business model. Specifically, the Port’s Blueprint will seek to address range anxiety, charging duration and operational constraints, impacts to local grid infrastructure, and how localized beachhead electrification projects can spur community and industry adoption of zero-emission and renewable energy technologies. To accomplish this goal, the Port will bring together key stakeholders, including stevedores, professional drivers, tenants, fleet managers, agency partners, community leaders, technology providers, energy-as-a-service providers, industry members, and other financial partners. The team will build on learning from prior projects, identify new opportunities, evaluate concept designs for emerging infrastructure, and assess technology readiness – all that culminating in actionable and replicable processes.
Change is challenging, but with expert planning and intentionality, it doesn’t have to be messy. Especially when you have Momentum on your team!