Siena is taking part in initial efforts to develop a proposal for New York to become a regional clean energy hydrogen hub.
This initiative is designated through the federal Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Gov. Kathy Hochul originally announced the H2Hub initiative last spring, with New York to lead a consortium including Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced yesterday that Maine and Rhode Island are joining the effort, and the work of standing committees is now underway.
The consortium is made up of more than 60 hydrogen ecosystem partners, including businesses, government agencies, not-for-profits, and universities. It will advance each state’s leadership in clean hydrogen infrastructure deployment and research and development, and supports New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050.
Other members from New York’s higher education sector include Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Cornell University, New York University, Rochester Institute of Technology, City University of New York, the University at Buffalo and Stony Brook University.
John Cummings, Ph.D., dean of Siena’s School of Science, is serving on the consortium’s standing committee on education.
“Siena is pleased to be a part of this regional effort in developing clean, renewable energy alternatives to help protect our climate,” said Cummings. “The College stands ready to collaborate, support and share resources, particularly as they relate to education and outreach. With Siena’s strong expertise in simulation, thanks to our particle physics and astrophysics research, we will likely be able to assist in that sphere as well.”
The key goals of the consortium partners include:
• 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, while improving the health, resiliency, and economic development of the region's residents.
• Advance a hub proposal that makes climate and environmental justice central to its strategy, which will deliver opportunities and improved quality of life to under resourced areas across the region.
• Perform research and analysis necessary to support the hub proposal and align on approach to quantifying greenhouse gas emissions reductions as a result of deploying this technology.
• Support environmentally responsible opportunities to develop hydrogen, in accordance with participating states' policies.
Consortium partners, including Siena, have signed memoranda of understanding to collaborate with NYSERDA, the New York Power Authority, and Empire State Development on proposal development to advance hydrogen projects. The consortium will also work to develop a proposal in response to the United States Department of Energy (DOE) Funding Opportunity Announcement, which launched in May with $8 billion in funding available.
