Governor Kathy Hochul announced that $27 million is now available through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to advance innovative alternative fuel solutions in New York State. The Governor also said nearly $10 million has been awarded to five projects to develop, pilot, and enhance the safety of alternative fuel technologies. The funding aims to cut emissions in hard-to-electrify sectors such as aviation, heavy-duty freight, maritime, and rail, and to provide backup power.
The funds are offered under NYSERDA’s Advanced Fuels & Thermal Energy Research program. The solicitation seeks proposals that produce eligible fuel products including sustainable aviation fuel, renewable natural gas, renewable diesel, low-carbon methanol, and renewable propane. The state said ammonia, raw biogas, biodiesel, and hydrogen are not considered eligible as the finished fuel product for this solicitation.
NYSERDA will accept proposals in three categories: Pilot projects to validate integrated systems at a New York site; Demonstration projects at a scale representative of a commercial facility at a New York site; and First-of-a-Kind Commercial Development to advance a first-of-its-kind commercial project in New York toward construction and operation. Proposals must show expertise in conversion technology, engineering, and feedstock supply, along with a host site and a prospective offtake or end-use partner. Projects must include at least a 50 percent cost share from non-NYSERDA sources.
Funding can be used for fuel production from feedstock through the finished fuel transfer point. It can also cover third-party analysis or certification testing to verify that the finished fuel meets specifications or regulatory limits. NYSERDA encouraged early Letters of Intent and said it will respond within three weeks on eligibility. Rolling submissions are being accepted until Dec. 31, 2029, at 3:00 p.m. ET or until all funds are committed.
NYSERDA said approximately $10 million has been awarded to five projects, all involving New York companies and/or development and demonstrations in New York. The American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ Center for Hydrogen Safety was awarded $850,000 to develop hydrogen safety training modules for first responders and permitting officials. The Fire Department of the City of New York was awarded $200,000 to build department-wide capability to respond safely to hydrogen emergencies, including monitoring equipment and curriculum for existing programs. Hydroplane, Ltd. was awarded nearly $2 million to design and build a prototype emission-free, hydrogen fuel cell-electric cargo watercraft for bulk hydrogen transport on New York’s inland waterways. Noblehurst Green Energy was awarded more than $4 million to build and operate a pilot plant at Noblehurst Farms in Pavilion, N.Y., to turn waste biogas into sustainable aviation fuel using NGV Earth’s patented conversion process. SWITCH Maritime LLC was awarded more than $2.5 million to design, assemble, and demonstrate a tug-propelled barge platform to carry hydrogen from suppliers outside New York City to the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said advancing promising alternative fuels from concept to real-world use is critical to accelerate deployment and deliver benefits to the state’s economy. Public Service Commission Chair Rory Christian said commercializing novel technologies is essential to meeting grid reliability and affordability challenges.
The Governor’s office said today’s announcement supports NYSERDA’s Innovation & Research program, which invests more than $96 million per year to attract energy innovators, reduce risk for private investors, and remove barriers to clean energy adoption, and has partnered with more than 900 companies that have helped make more than 300 products commercially available. The state said funding for these initiatives comes from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiatives and the Clean Energy Fund.