San Diego Gas & Electric Friday will unveil several new projects at the 10th Avenue Marine Terminal to expand the county's electric vehicle charging infrastructure to support semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles.
Officials from the utility joined by Port of San Diego officials, and business leaders to share details and examples of newly approved projects that they say will help reduce air pollution in Southern California by increasing the electrification of the top source of dirty air, transportation.
“Because transportation is the leading source of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in our region. In fact, it accounts for 50 percent, over 50 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions here in San Diego. That’s why electrifying the transportation sector is so important,” said Caroline Winn, SDG&E Chief Operating Officer.
Port officials said the move is part of a promise to nearby residents to reduce pollution at the terminal, and the charging terminals are a good first step.
“Just having the infrastructure, the charging infrastructure is really important, but also the data monitoring, the data collection, we call it a data log. All of these stations will be collecting the information we need to evaluate, assess and continue to improve this process,” said Rafael “Castellanos, chairman of the Port of San Diego.
The infrastructure will support electric semi-trucks, forklifts at industrial and commercial hubs. The utility will demonstrate the use of an electric reach stacker, used to move shipping containers at port, which is the fist of its kind at the Port of San Diego.
