Photovoltaic Solar Power at the Port of Los Angeles

The City of Los Angeles Harbor Department (Harbor Department) has been a world leader at reducing the effects of seaport operations on the communities that surround the Port of Los Angeles (Port). The Harbor Department is in the process of installing ten megawatts (MW) of photovoltaic (PV) solar power as a means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This ten MW of zero-emissions power generation will be constructed within the Port's boundary. This paper presents the Harbor Department's successes and challenges associated with the implementation of its ten MW PV solar power program. This paper presents the criteria for successful evaluation and selection of potential sites for PV solar power systems (PV Systems), the installation of the Harbor Department's first MW, and the forging of an agreement with the City's utility agency to reduce up-front costs. This paper also describes the challenges the Harbor Department has faced such as final site selection, design, permitting, construction, and commissioning as it works at installing its remaining nine MW. Given these challenges, the Harbor Department is exploring different technologies as an alternative to PV solar power to help it achieve its goal of ten MW of zero-emissions power generation in a faster and more cost-effective way.