New York Leads Multi-State Group To Develop A Regional Hydrogen Hub Proposal

by Peter Maloney
APPA News
March 29, 2022

New York State, along with Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, has formed a coalition to develop a proposal to become one of at least four regional clean energy hydrogen hubs designated by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The New York-led consortium also encompasses an initial group of 40 hydrogen ecosystem partners, including Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) and the New York Power Authority (NYPA).

The agreement calls for the consortium partners to collaborate with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), NYPA, and Empire State Development (ESD) on proposal development to advance hydrogen projects under the Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The partner states of the consortium will coordinate with their respective state entities to help align the consortium’s efforts with each state’s climate and clean energy goals.

New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act calls for the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050. Connecticut’s Global Warming Solutions Act sets a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050, while Massachusetts set a goal to be carbon neutral by 2050, and New Jersey’s Global Warming Response Act set a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.

The consortium members also committed to develop a proposal in response to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity announcement, anticipated to launch in May 2022 with $8 billion in funding available.

In addition, the coalition members agreed to work together to define the shared vision and plans for the regional hydrogen hub that can advance safe green hydrogen energy innovation and investment to address climate change; advance a hub proposal that makes climate and environmental justice central to its strategy; and to perform research and analysis necessary to support the hub proposal and align on an approach to quantifying greenhouse gas emissions reductions resulting from use of the technology.

“We at the New York Power Authority are intrigued by the role that hydrogen may play in pushing us toward that decarbonized future and we are supporting green hydrogen firms like Plug Power at multiple locations throughout the state with low-cost hydropower,” Justin Driscoll, NYPA’s interim president and CEO, said in a statement.

The consortium members described the project as “a multi-state approach to a hydrogen hub that connects the entire value chain of hydrogen producers, users, technology and equipment manufacturers, and the research and development community including national labs and universities,” adding that the group would welcome the participation of other states in the future.

In her 2022 State of the State address, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also announced that NYSERDA, with the Department of Public Service and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, would work to develop a green hydrogen regulatory framework to measure emissions reduction and health benefits and will evaluate and develop codes and standards to ensure the safe operation of green hydrogen.

NYSERDA is also developing a program to support locally owned green hydrogen-powered microgrid solutions and plans to release $27 million in Hydrogen Innovation funding to support product development, pilots, and demonstration projects.

NYSERDA is also working on a green hydrogen demonstration project for district heating and cooling and plans to launch a Green Hydrogen Prize Program to support green hydrogen firms seeking to expand in New York State.

To help public power utilities understand the potential — and the limitations — of hydrogen, and why they should get involved, the American Public Power Association developed Understanding Hydrogen: Trends and Use Cases.