New York Allocates $12.5 M for Green H2 Exploration

New York will use $12.5 million of state funds for long-duration energy storage technologies and pilot projects exploring the potential for green hydrogen production, said Governor Andrew M Cuomo recently.

To support the state’s decarbonisation goals and its pledge to cut its carbon footprint by 85% by 2050, New York is also collaborating with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and joining two hydrogen-focused organizations.

Long-duration energy storage projects with six-plus hours of storage capacity will benefit from the announced funding. Proposals will be accepted for hydrogen, electric, chemical, mechanical, or thermal-electric storage technologies that have still not been commercialised, including early studies, product development, multi-stage and demonstration projects. The financing will be awarded through a three-stage competition through June 2022.

Additionally, the New York Power Authority, collaborating with the Electric Power Research Institute, General Electric and hydrogen supplier Airgas, will undertake a green hydrogen demonstration project at NYPA’s natural gas plant on Long Island to evaluate the resource’s potential role in displacing fossil fuels from power generation. The project will begin in fall 2021 and is expected to last six to eight weeks.

“As we transition to a clean energy economy, we are exploring every resource available as a potential tool to address climate change and documenting what we find to share as part of broader national and global conversations so we can build a brighter, greener future for all,” Cuomo said.

NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) will commence a hydrogen strategy study in conjunction with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, to compile the foundational data to align the state’s hydrogen strategy with the existing mandates for 70 percent renewable electricity by 2030 and 100 percent zero-emission electricity by 2040.

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection recently awarded global consulting and digital services provider ICF a $30 million contract to facilitate the implementation of the city’s energy efficiency, water conservation and clean energy programs for existing and new commercial buildings. The contract has a term of three years plus two additional one-year options to extend.