Another step toward a cleaner planet was just taken when the world's first hydrogen-powered crane became operational at the Port of Los Angeles. In stark contrast to the diesel cranes used at ports throughout the world, the H2-ZE Rubber-Tired Gantry Transtainer Crane releases zero harmful pollutants.
It "marks a significant advancement in port technology," said Takunari Minamizono, a project manager at Mitsui E&S, which partnered on the project with handling equipment maker Paceco, according to ForConstructionPros.com.
A typical diesel-powered crane releases enough carbon dioxide per year that would be equivalent to burning over 400 barrels of oil. Now consider the multiple diesel-powered cranes that operate at the 208 commercial ports in the U.S. That's a lot of pollution that would not be created if the hydrogen-powered crane proves successful.
Replacing each diesel-powered crane with one powered by hydrogen would go a long way to combating the warming of the planet, and existing diesel rubber-tired gantry cranes can be modified to run on hydrogen.
The operation of the hydrogen-powered RTG is part of a pilot program to validate development findings that suggest it can achieve the same operational performance as diesel-powered cranes and work out any kinks if they arise.
The potential impact this program could have is almost unfathomable, considering the multiple diesel-powered cranes currently in use at thousands of ports worldwide. Cutting carbon pollution and slowing the warming of the planet can help reduce extreme weather events and protect the global food supply from damaging floods and droughts.
On a more local level, the use of hydrogen-powered cranes will help the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach reach their goal in 2017 of reducing pollution and improving air quality for the surrounding communities through the Clean Air Action Plan. Both ports aim to eliminate all greenhouse gas pollution from cargo-handling equipment by 2030.
As an added bonus for those working on or near the ports and those living near the ports, the hydrogen-powered crane is also much quieter than the diesel-powered cranes, cutting down on noise pollution.
The Transtainer Crane is joined by another step in the right direction for the shipping industry by the H2 Barge 2, a hydrogen-powered cargo ship that makes regular trips on the Rhine River between the Netherlands and Germany.
Another pilot program, just down the coast, is looking to highlight the potential of hydrogen fuel going forward. The University of San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography recently had its first-of-its-kind research vessel approved by the American Bureau of Shipping. The research vessel will be a hydrogen/diesel hybrid that would reduce carbon pollution by 75%.
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