Here’s how a $1.5M grant will help replace diesel-powered generators at Port of Tacoma
Washington state Department of Commerce on Monday announced the latest round of state investment in “new and novel clean energy technology projects,” and Port of Tacoma is the focus of one of those projects.
OCOchem of Richland received $1.5 million to develop alternative portable energy generators and to produce electro-fuels for use at the Port of Tacoma with the goal to replace diesel-powered generators that support refrigerated cargo containers waiting to leave the port.
It was among the highest amounts awarded for the 10 grant recipients.
According to the department, “The project will demonstrate how recycled carbon dioxide, water and clean electricity can be converted into hydrogen fuel in a liquid carrier form that is easier, cheaper and safer to store and transport.”
The project also is working with an additional $2.5 million from OCOchem and investor-partners, which include Tacoma Power, Washington Maritime Blue, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Sacre-Davey Engineering, Johnston Engineering, and Det Norske Veritas.
OCOchem is a venture capital-backed tech startup that launched in 2017. It was one of 10 entities statewide receiving a total of $8.5 million in Clean Energy Fund grants from the state.
The grants are to support projects that “advance new or emerging technologies that support Washington state’s clean energy goals of reducing carbon emissions, achieving a 100 percent clean electricity grid, and ensuring an equitable distribution of the health and economic benefits of the clean energy economy,” the department said Monday.
Todd Brix, co-founder and chief executive officer of OCOchem, said in a statement Monday: “We are very honored to receive this grant to demonstrate how recycled carbon dioxide, water and clean electricity can be converted into an electro-fuel to replace fossil fuel use in hard to de-carbonize applications like portable and back-up power.
“This new green energy will be used at the Port of Tacoma to power new electro-fuel generators to keep Washington fruit cool in refrigerated cargo containers waiting to leave the port,” he said.
He added that “We expect this project to reduce not only CO2 emissions at the Port, but also to cut air pollution emissions generated from the Port’s fossil fuel-based portable generators, making the air safer for nearby residents to breathe, reduce noise pollution, and cut energy costs.”
Cam LeHouillier, manager of energy research and development at Tacoma Power, said that “The project will demonstrate the compelling economic and environmental use of this new liquid e-fuel technology to decarbonize and electrify mobile, emergency, and back-up power generation applications that currently rely upon diesel and gasoline for commercial and residential applications.”
Two other projects received $1 million or more in grant funding.
The City of Yakima received $1 million for a feasibility study on “the research and development of new anaerobic digestion capacity for processing food waste,” according to Monday’s announcement.
And Darrington Wood Innovation Center, a a collaboration including the town of Darrington, Snohomish County and Forterra, received $1.5 million “for demonstration of an advanced boiler system that uses wet, low-grade wood biomass,” the department said, for cross-laminated timber manufacturing and bioenergy feedstock.
This story was originally published April 5, 2022 at 12:00 AM.
