Governor Hochul Announces Nearly $15 Million in Awards to Four Demonstration Projects That Advance Long Duration Energy Storage Technology Solutions

 

Additional $8.15 Million Now Available for Yet to be Commercialized Technologies That Advance, Develop or Field-Test Hydrogen, Electric, Chemical, Mechanical or Thermal-Electric Storage Technologies

Supports Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act Goal to Install 3,000 Megawatts of Energy Storage by 2030 and Helps Facilitate Further Development to 6,000 Megawatts

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced nearly $15 million in awards to four demonstration projects that advance long duration energy storage solutions that will help harness and provide stored renewable energy to New York's electric grid. In addition to these awards, $8.15 million in funding has been announced to support innovative long duration energy storage solutions, devices, software, controls, and other complimentary technologies yet to be commercialized. Project submissions should advance, develop or field-test hydrogen, electric, chemical, mechanical or thermal-electric storage technologies that will address renewable integration challenges, such as grid congestion, hosting capacity constraints and siting in New York City. Today’s announcement supports the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goal to install 3,000 megawatts of energy storage by 2030 while facilitating further development to 6,000 megawatts.

"Each energy storage technology breakthrough reduces our reliance on fossil fuels and marks progress toward successfully integrating renewable energy into communities across the state,” Governor Hochul said. “Today’s announcement reflects our continued commitment to innovate and develop technology that will allow us to be energy independent and ensure resources are available when and where needed.”

Administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the awards and competitive funding opportunity support energy storage product development and demonstration projects that are 10 to over 100 hours and multi-days in duration at rated power, otherwise known as long duration energy storage.

Awards

The awarded projects include:

• Ecolectro, Inc.: $1.08 million – To scale-up their groundbreaking polymer chemistry and materials that are expected to significantly reduce the cost of producing hydrogen by electrolysis and create a drop-in replacement for current designs. This project entails scaling laboratory-proven technologies with engineering and validation prototypes to build and test 10-kilowatt (kW) electrolysis units. The electrolyzer unit will be deployed in a pilot demonstration in partnership with Liberty Utilities in Massena, New York.
• Form Energy: $12 million – To develop, design and construct a commercial-scale, 10-megawatt (MW)/1,000-megawatt hour (MWh) demonstration of a new form of low-cost, long-duration energy storage that aims to be able to both support the integration of intermittent renewable resources and provide multiple days of continuous, zero-carbon power to the grid when called upon. The project will use breakthrough iron-air battery materials that are safe, abundant, ultra-low-cost, and globally scalable from existing supply chains. A project location is to be determined.
• PolyJoule, Inc.: $1.03 million – To Install a 2-MWh, 167-kW PolyJoule Long Duration Modular battery energy storage system (BESS) in partnership with Eastern Generation at its Astoria Generating Station located in Queens, New York. This demonstration project aims to prove the safety, technical, operational, and economic merits of the PolyJoule Conductive Polymer BESS in a densely populated urban setting. The permitting, installation, and facilitation requirements will show reduced cost-of-deployment advantages and site flexibility. Through multiple years of testing and analyzing data gathered during seasonal fluctuations, PolyJoule, Inc. aims to prove the technical robustness of the system, capable of being deployed anywhere in New York State.
• Urban Electric Power (UEP): $703,965 - To install a 100-kW/1-MWh BESS using UEP’s patented rechargeable zinc alkaline battery technology. The proposed BESS will be designed for long duration energy storage applications (i.e., 10 to 24 hour) at commercial and industrial facilities. Specifically, the BESS will provide power resilience to end users, allow for energy reduction through peak demand shaving, and support the electric grid by participating in demand response events. The project is located in Pearl River, New York.

New Funding Opportunity

For the newly issued solicitation, awards will be made in the areas of product development, demonstration projects and cost-share requests for inclusion in federal funding submissions. Proposals will be accepted through 3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on October 17, 2023. Details for this solicitation are available on NYSERDA's website.

Advancing energy storage at scale is critical to meeting the State’s Climate Act goals and to ensure the safety and security of energy storage systems across the state. Last month, Governor Hochul announced the creation of a new Inter-Agency Fire Safety Working Group. While fires at energy storage facilities are exceedingly rare, the Governor has directed the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office of Fire Prevention and Control, NYSERDA, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Public Service, and the Department of State to lead the Working Group to independently examine energy storage facility fires and safety standards. The Group will leverage nationally renowned experts and national laboratories in energy storage root cause and emergency response analyses to independently assess and identify common causes, air monitoring results or other community impacts, and other factors involved with energy storage fires. The findings and resulting recommendations will be shared with the New York City Fire Department, National Fire Protection Association, International Code Council, the New York State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council, and Underwriters Laboratories, establishing New York as a national and international leader in fire safety and stationary energy storage systems.

This funding is offered through NYSERDA’s Renewable Optimization and Energy Storage Innovation Program and builds on New York State's investments in research, development, and commercialization to support innovators that are accelerating the low emissions and carbon sequestering technologies needed to meet the state's goal for economy-wide carbon neutrality. NYSERDA's Innovation program is deploying $800 million over 10 years as direct investments via grants and wrap-around commercialization support. More than $680 million in private investments and $200 million in project finance capital have been enabled, and more than 450 innovative clean energy products have been commercialized as a result of NYSERDA's technology and business development investments, including LED lighting systems, home appliances, longer-lasting batteries, and more efficient heating-and-cooling systems.

NYSERDA's initiatives are funded through the State's 10-year, $6 billion Clean Energy Fund. More information about this funding is available on NYSERDA's website.