$5 million for shore power in Oakland

$5 million for shore power in Oakland    Bay Area Air Quality Management District has approved a $5 million grant for the port’s shore power project. The funds will contribute to the construction of shore power infrastructure at three berths.
   In December 2007 the California Air Resources Board approved a regulation to reduce emissions from diesel auxiliary engines on passenger and container and refrigerated-cargo ships while berthing at major California ports.
   In 2014, carriers will be required when they are at port to turn off their auxiliary diesel engines and connect to shore power, a process also known as “cold-ironing,” for half of their visits. That percentage increases to 80 percent in 2020.
   The Port of Oakland said it and its tenants “will need significant funds to help finance shore power infrastructure and ensure delivery of this important initiative. Historically the port's principal funding sources for maritime environmental improvement activities have been operational revenues and bond funding secured by such revenues.
   “Because these revenue sources are insufficient to meet the needs of the new shore power project, the port is pursuing and leveraging new funding and financing mechanisms, including grant funding.”
   The port said that to date $40 million in grants has been identified in grant funding, of which about $13 million has been secured by the port, including the $5 million just approved by the Bay Area Air Quality District.
   'We estimate that it will cost $90 million for planning and building the land-side infrastructure needed to supply shore power at the Port of Oakland,' said Delphine Pr'vost, senior maritime projects administrator. This $5 million grant is a big help to getting the project started, though much more funding is needed to complete the project port-wide.”
   'Additionally, the maritime industry is reportedly investing approximately $1 billion in private funds to retrofit their vessels to plug into the power grid when docked at California ports,' Pr'vost added.