NEWARK, NJ — The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has taken several more steps towards its goal of reaching "net-zero" carbon emissions with the announcement of new clean energy projects at Port Newark and Newark Airport, the agency says.
Earlier this year, the Port Authority reported that it met a interim target of a 35 percent reduction in direct greenhouse gas emissions by 2025.
The bi-state agency said it remains firmly on track toward its longer-term goals of a 50 percent reduction of direct emissions by 2030, and full net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 – a goal that was first announced during the Biden administration.
The Port Authority released a net-zero roadmap in 2023.
PORT NEWARK
On Thursday, the agency announced the latest move towards sustainability at the East Coast's busiest shipping port: a $45 million push to adopt zero-emission drayage trucks and terminal tractors – along with the charging infrastructure needed to power them.
"The trucks that move through our gates don't stop there – they fan out to warehouses and distribution hubs across the region, carrying the goods that power our economy," Port Authority chair Kevin O'Toole said.
"Cleaner trucks here mean cleaner air not just for our port facilities, but for every community along the routes these trucks travel," O'Toole said.
The Port Authority shared the following details about two incentive programs that will help push the project towards the finish line:
"Commencing this fall, CALSTART will serve as the program designer and administrator for the Clean Truck Incentive (CTI) Program and Green Drayage Accelerator (GDA), looking to drive zero-emission commercial fleet adoption across the East Coast's busiest seaport. CTI will deploy up to $39 million in point-of-sale vouchers for the purchase of zero-emission drayage trucks, yard tractors, and supporting charging infrastructure. The $5 million GDA program aims to award up to five electric truck charging hubs within 10 miles of the Port Authority's seaport facilities (or marine terminal facilities). The programs are designed to advance the Port Authority's sustainability goals by accelerating cleaner technologies while providing port operators with affordable, discounted electric vehicles and charging options."
The programs are funded through a $451 million grant awarded to the Port Authority through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's "Clean Ports Program."
Beyond the CALSTART-administered programs, the grant will also fund the deployment of electric cargo handling equipment at marine terminals and the installation of vessel shore power infrastructure to allow container ships to plug in while at berth and shut down their auxiliary engines.
NEWARK AIRPORT
In May, the Port Authority announced plans for a major expansion of solar energy infrastructure at Newark Airport.
The agency said the expansion will add nearly five megawatts of generating capacity across five airport sites and will produce nearly 5.9 million kilowatt-hours of clean electricity in its first year of operation: enough to power more than 550 homes.
Developed in partnership with SunLight General Capital under a power purchase agreement, the project will be designed, built, financed, owned, operated and maintained by the developer. The Port Authority will purchase the electricity generated at a pre-determined rate, locking in long-term cost certainty while minimizing upfront capital expenditure, the agency said.
Construction is expected to begin this year, with completion targeted for 2028.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill gave a thumbs-up to the news, pointing to her own efforts to build out solar power in New Jersey.
"Newark Liberty is one of the front doors to New Jersey, and this project will show why we are a national leader in energy innovation," Sherrill said.
THE QUEST FOR 'ZERO'
Port Authority spokespeople recently shared a list of some other initiatives in New Jersey and New York that contributed to last year's 35 percent reduction in direct greenhouse gas emissions.
The list included:
Fleet Electrification – "The Port Authority has met its interim goal of electrifying 50 percent of its non-emergency light-duty vehicle fleet, with 404 of 797 such vehicles now electric, supported by 305 EV charging ports across Port Authority facilities. The agency has committed to converting its entire non-emergency light-duty fleet to electric by 2028. The net-zero roadmap also targets replacing 50 percent of non-emergency medium- and heavy-duty vehicles with zero-emission alternatives by 2035, with a pilot program underway to begin transitioning emergency response vehicles to electric."
LED Lighting Upgrades Across Facilities – "The Port Authority has systematically converted lighting at its buildings and facilities from conventional to LED technology. The upgrades significantly reduce energy consumption, lower maintenance costs, and improve safety and visibility. These include lighting upgrades at the agency's crossings, including the George Washington Bridge, Lincoln Tunnel, Holland Tunnel, Bayonne Bridge, Goethals Bridge, and Outerbridge Crossing."
Newark Airport's Building One Becomes Agency's First Decarbonized Building – "Dedicated in 1935 as the nation's first air passenger terminal, EWR's Building One became the Port Authority's first building to undergo a full decarbonization retrofit with electric boilers, heat pumps, and other clean-energy tools, eliminating all fossil fuel use within the building."
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