Port of Corpus Christi Nears Second Year on Renewable Energy

The Texas Port of Corpus Christi is celebrating its second consecutive year of operating on 100 percent renewable energy.

The Port began shifting toward using renewable energy sources to power its operations in 2017, when nearly half of its energy consumption was purchased from renewable energy, specifically from wind-generation. That moved to 100 percent in 2018, when the Port claimed nearly 9.5 million kWh’s of green energy credits.

In addition to its renewable energy initiative, the Port has recycled 1.1 million pounds of materials since 2005.

The Port of Corpus Christi was the first Texas port to achieve Green Marine certification in 2016, and in September met ISO-14001 Certification for the 12th consecutive year.

The Port is located on the western Gulf of Mexico with a 36-mile, soon to be 54 foot (MLLW) deep channel. It is the third largest port in the U.S. in total revenue tonnage and the second largest exporter of U.S. crude oil. Earlier this month, EPIC Midstream has completed the loading of its first shipment of crude oil from its new dock in the Inner Harbor.

The Port of Corpus Christi recently set three new tonnage records, including the highest volume in a single month. September tonnage was 12.2 million tons, a 27 percent gain over the previous record set in March of 2018. Two other tonnage records broken included the highest quarter ever at 32.1 million tons, an 18 percent gain over the previous high set in the third quarter of 2018, and tonnage for the first nine months of a year at 84.6 million tons, a five percent increase over the previous record also set in 2018. Increases in crude oil exports resulting from new pipeline services drove exports up 25 percent from the previous quarterly highs, and seven percent gains over the 2018 nine-month record.