The solicitation was announced by New York Governor Kathy Hochul on 24 May and the move is said to support the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goals to reduce emissions 85 per cent by 2050 and transition to 100 per cent zero-emission electricity by 2040.

“Investing in clean hydrogen is the latest example of New York’s commitment to exploring all technologies and avenues to transition to clean energy economy-wide”, Governor Hochul said. “In partnership with the state’s leading innovators and problem-solvers, we are taking bold action to transition even the hardest-to-electrify sectors, helping secure a healthy and sustainable future for all New Yorkers”.

Administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the initiative will operate in tandem with New York State’s overall advancement of a clean hydrogen ecosystem, including the Northeast Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub (NE Hub) effort.

While the NE Hub work focuses on clean hydrogen deployment across the broader Northeast region, the initiative announced on 24 May will specifically fund RD&D efforts that are most relevant and critical to advance a clean hydrogen economy in New York and support the achievement of the Climate Act goals, according to NYSERDA.

The projects eligible to apply include hydrogen applications to decarbonise industrial process heat; green hydrogen production and integration with renewable energy such as solar and offshore wind; mitigation of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in hydrogen combustion; and hydrogen storage technologies, including bulk storage and storage in limited footprint areas.

Successful awards will be contingent upon securing federal funding.