With a shared commitment to eliminate pollution and reduce emissions to zero or near-zero levels, Pasha Stevedoring and Terminals L.P. and the Port of Los Angeles have launched the Green Omni Terminal Demonstration Project.
When completed, the 40-acre Pasha Green Omni Terminal will be the world’s first marine terminal to generate all of its energy needs from renewable sources, using zero or near-zero emission technologies, according to GizMag.
The on-site, 1.03-megawatt solar micro-grid will power what would otherwise be diesel-spewing cargo-moving vehicles, including zero-emission semi-trucks that haul freight to and from facilities farther inland. A 2.6 megawatt-hour battery storage system is also included, allowing the terminal to keep operating off-grid in the event of emergencies.
“This is a Wright Brothers moment,” said Jeffrey Burgin, Senior Vice President of Pasha, in a statement. “We’re going to be the proving ground to change the paradigm of how large industrial facilities can run on clean energy. We’re confident we can show this is absolutely attainable.”
One exciting part of the project is the introduction of an entire fleet of new or retrofitted zero-emission cargo handling equipment, including electric yard tractors, high-tonnage forklifts, drayage trucks, a top handler and wharf cranes.
The terminal will also have a ShoreCat Marine Exhaust Treatment System (METS) – the latest generation of advanced technology for capturing ship emissions from vessels that are unable to plug into shore power while at berth.
ShoreCat METS technology has the ability to capture 90 percent of emissions, including CO2, from the smokestacks of berthed ships. Berthed ships are the biggest source of greenhouse gases and priority pollutants at marine ports worldwide.
Basically, all of the innovations at the Pasha Terminal are expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 3,230 tons per year, diesel particulate matter by 0.6 tons per year, nitrogen oxides by 26 tons per year and reactive organic gases by 1.4 tons per year.
This is equivalent to removing 14,000 vehicles from California’s highways, according to GizMag, because the Port of Los Angeles is also California’s single largest stationary source of pollution.
The total cost of the project is $26.6 million. In addition to serving as the demonstration site, Pasha has also committed $11.4 million in cash and in-kind participation. An important hallmark of the project is the collaboration
involving green-tech original equipment manufacturers and technical experts from the private sector, academia, and regulatory agencies.
The massive Port of Los Angeles takes up 43 miles of waterfront and includes 23 cargo terminals and nine container terminals. The new 40-acre (16-hectare) Omni green terminal will be capable of handling large pieces of cargo that don’t fit in containers. Port officials expect the new terminal to be up and running by the end of 2016.
