Emissions

New York announces initiatives to explore green hydrogen for decarbonization

New York announces initiatives to explore green hydrogen for decarbonization

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo this week announced that New York plans to explore the potential role of green hydrogen as part of the state’s comprehensive decarbonization strategy.

To support this effort to study green hydrogen and its possible applications, the state is collaborating with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), joining two hydrogen-focused organizations to inform state decision-making and making $12.5 million in funding available for long duration energy storage technologies and demonstration projects that may include green hydrogen.

“New York is leading the way forward on protecting the environment and combating climate change,” Governor Cuomo said in a press release. “Part of our ongoing efforts is setting an example for other states and nations to follow. 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.”

Green hydrogen, hydrogen produced using renewable energy, including wind, solar, and hydroelectricity, has the potential to decarbonize challenging sectors of the economy. As part of the state’s efforts to assess green hydrogen’s potential role in economy-wide decarbonization efforts, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is leading a comprehensive stakeholder engagement effort to gain and share knowledge and understanding of the support this resource could provide for meeting the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goals across multiple sectors.

The stakeholder engagement began in December 2020 at a “Deep Decarbonization Workshop” co-hosted by NYSERDA and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

A more comprehensive and ongoing approach will begin with an additional workshop and listening session being planned for this fall. The session will be used to help NYSERDA understand how to expand stakeholder engagement to ensure that additional assessment of the pathways, opportunities, and challenges of generating and utilizing green hydrogen across all sectors includes consideration of all stakeholder perspectives, including environmental justice organizations and communities.

The state’s approach to understanding and exploring the potential role green hydrogen can play in achieving the Climate Act goals include:

New York Hydrogen Strategy Study – NYSERDA and NREL will conduct as study to compile the foundational, base-line information and data that will enable New York to have robust discussions and dialogue around the role of green hydrogen. This study will focus on opportunities surrounding green hydrogen 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.

NYPA Green Hydrogen Demonstration Project – A first-of-its-kind demonstration project will investigate the potential of substituting renewable hydrogen for a portion of the natural gas used to generate power at NYPA’s Brentwood Power Station on Long Island. The project team will evaluate different concentrations of hydrogen blended with natural gas at regular intervals and will assess the blend’s effect on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and its overall system and environmental impacts, including nitrogen oxide emissions. The project will begin in fall 2021 and is expected to last six to eight weeks.

Partner roles include:

  • NYPA will lead the project
  • EPRI will assist with the project design and technical evaluation
  • GE will supply a hydrogen/natural gas blending system and support the project’s planning and execution
  • Sargent & Lundy will provide overall engineering and safety reviews
  • Airgas is the supplier of renewable hydrogen and
  • Fresh Meadow Power will provide piping system design, material procurement and installation services for the project. 

In addition, the state will join the Center for Hydrogen Safety and the HyBlend Collaborative Research Partnership

Long Duration Energy Storage Program 

Finally, NYSERDA will encourage product development and demonstration projects in energy storage that is six-plus hours in duration, otherwise known as LDES, by making up to $12.5 million in funding available through its Renewable Optimization and Energy Storage Innovation Program. Project submissions should advance, develop, or field-test hydrogen, electric, chemical, mechanical, or thermal-electric storage technologies that will address cost, performance, and renewable integration challenges in New York State. Submissions must only include innovative long duration energy storage technologies which are yet to be commercialized. Awards will be made for the following project categories: early studies, product development, multi-stage, demonstration projects and federal cost-share.

Proposals will be accepted in three rounds through June 2022. Additional details for this solicitation are available on NYSERDA’s website, including proposal submission requirements.