Environmental Valuation & Cost-Benefit News

Link: http://townofhempstead.org/content/home/news/hydrofuel.html

Stepping out of a zero-emission car powered by hydrogen, Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray joined with energy partners as work commenced on Long Island's first hydrogen fueling station. Representatives from the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) and National Grid watched as the first foundation piles were driven into the ground upon which the new facility will be built.
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The town and its partners are constructing a pumping station that will provide pure hydrogen, blended hydrogen compressed natural gas, as well as pure natural gas fuels for a variety of vehicles. All of the fuels pumped at the facility will drastically reduce or eliminate the harmful emissions that contribute to the production of greenhouses gases.

Construction of the fueling station, to be located at the town's Conservation and Waterways headquarters in Point Lookout, is projected to cost over $2 million. Currently, the project has benefited from almost $1 million in direct grant funding from NYSERDA. National Grid will provide support through grant monies and tax credits. Hempstead Town will also provide financial support, manage project construction and furnish much of the labor through the town's work force.
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A common method of producing hydrogen energy for motor vehicles consists in electrically charging water, which separates protons from electrons and creates energy to be stored in fuel cells.

Murray explained that the goal of the hydrogen fueling station project is threefold. Partners plan to demonstrate, evaluate and educate with this initiative....

National Grid will assume ownership of the station for the first three years, at which time ownership will be transferred to the Town of Hempstead. Furthermore, the station will be part of an engineered network of stations under New York State's hydrogen roadmap.

In addition to grant monies from NYSERDA and a $55,000 direct grant from National Grid, the New York State alternative fuel vehicle fueling infrastructure tax credit will contribute 50% of the total cost of the refueling station.

The project partners will employ the assistance of four additional entities in making the hydrogen station a reality:
EmPower - Assistant project manager with extensive hydrogen energy technology experience.
Air Products - A global industrial gas company that will assist with design, construction and maintenance of the station.
Proton Energy Systems - Will supply the "electrolyzer" for the fueling station.
PW Grosser - A consulting engineer on the project.

Murray mentioned that the new fueling station will be a perfect compliment to the wind and solar energy applications that the town has developed at the Conservation and Waterways site in Point Lookout. Linking solar and wind technology could eventually facilitate energy storage in the hydrogen fueling system, thereby mitigating energy loss commonly associated with wind and solar power.

The Town of Hempstead plans to purchase and utilize a senior-citizen shuttle bus utilizing the blended fuel, and National Grid also plans to order and use similar vehicles. Expected completion is late spring or early summer, with hydrogen created on-site.

Town of Hempstead http://townofhempstead.org
Press Release dated February 18, 2009
also see
http://www.nylcv.org/ecopoliticsdaily/20090226_hempstead_breaks_ground_on_first_hydrogen_fueling_station