NYPA Renewable Hydrogen Demonstration Project To Start In November

by Paul Ciampoli
APPA News Director
October 26, 2021

The New York Power Authority (NYPA), in collaboration with project partners, will start a demonstration project in November to assess the potential of substituting renewable hydrogen for a portion of the natural gas used to generate power at its Brentwood Power Station on Long Island.

Project partners are the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), General Electric (GE), Airgas, an Air Liquide company, Sargent & Lundy, and Fresh Meadow Power.

Representatives from the project partner organizations were on site in Brentwood on Oct. 25 to view progress on plant readiness to begin the project.

The NYPA-led, first-of-its-kind demonstration will evaluate the effects of different concentrations of hydrogen blended with natural gas at regular intervals to assess the blend’s effect on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and its overall system and environmental impacts, including nitrogen oxide emissions.

At the close of this short-term project, peer-reviewed results will be shared with the industry and public to better inform what efforts can help New York State reach its goal of reducing carbon emissions 85 percent by 2050. The project is expected to last between six and eight weeks.

NYPA’s Brentwood Power Station, which is operated by a GE LM-6000 combustion turbine fueled by natural gas, was commissioned in 2001 to increase power generation capacity for Long Island and New York City in anticipation of shortages. 

As the gas turbine’s original equipment manufacturer, GE will supply a state-of-the art hydrogen/natural gas blending system and support the project’s planning and execution.

Sargent & Lundy, acting as the engineer of record for the project, will provide overall engineering and safety reviews.

Airgas is the supplier of renewable hydrogen and Fresh Meadow Power is providing piping system design, material procurement and installation services.

EPRI conducts research, development, and demonstration projects, with a focus on electricity generation, delivery, and use in collaboration with the electricity sector, its stakeholders and others.

The American Public Power Association recently issued a report that offers a perspective on where the emerging hydrogen market is in the U.S. and globally, what is driving the growing interest in hydrogen and what obstacles are preventing hydrogen technology from being able to scale-up.