Stony Brook University has been awarded a grant exceeding $4.9 million from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to develop a clean hydrogen research demonstration project. The initiative aims to create a low-pressure, ambient-temperature hydrogen-storage system designed to enhance the resiliency and reliability of energy operations at a Northwell Health hospital site.
The proposed storage system will address challenges related to high volumetric density energy storage under mild temperature and pressure conditions, which is particularly relevant for densely populated areas with significant energy needs. Stony Brook’s Institute of Gas Innovation and Technology (I-GIT), located in the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC), will lead the project using technology developed over several years. The system combines hydrogen production with solid adsorbent storage, allowing for on-demand release of hydrogen under mild conditions.
This project seeks to demonstrate that storing hydrogen in solid adsorbents at scale is feasible for safe deployment. Modular units at the hospital site are intended to allow capacity adjustments based on demand. If successful, this technology could be replicated in various sectors such as hospitals and data centers, providing reliable energy storage and enhancing energy security.
“As a recognized leader in energy storage, Stony Brook University is shaping the future of clean energy through innovation and research, including in this pioneering hydrogen storage project,” said Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith. “The investment by NYSERDA to support this project will enable significant advances in flexible energy storage that can meet dynamic industrial and consumer demand. Demonstrating this novel technology in a hospital system will ensure that patients and healthcare workers are not subject to power outages or shortages in their critical care systems. This project reflects a collaboration between Stony Brook and seven industrial partners representing the entire hydrogen value chain, further strengthening New York’s leadership role in clean energy innovation.”
“There is a global race to develop highly efficient systems for large-scale energy storage that can operate under ambient temperature and moderate pressures in an off-grid mode,” said Devinder Mahajan, Professor of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering and director of I-GIT, who is also principal investigator of the project. I-GIT has adopted the Power-to-Products (P2X) concept with the aim to produce and store fuels in modular systems with a minimum Carbon Intensity (CI) score, a measure of reduced emissions.
The demonstration will take place at Staten Island University Hospital’s North Campus, integrating an electrolyzer, hydrogen storage system, and fuel cell stack to supply power for applications such as backup electricity generation and electric vehicle charging stations. Alongside technical expertise from I-GIT faculty members Professors T. Venkatesh and Clive Clayton, industry partners including Northwell Health, ConEdison, Plug Power Inc., H2B2 Electrolysis Technologies Inc., Hydrexia Energy Technology Co., Ltd., BrainDrip LLC are contributing more than $6 million toward cost-sharing as well as providing resources like host sites—bringing total project costs above $11 million—and plan to replicate the system commercially.
The effort builds on hybrid concepts patented by Stony Brook’s Research Foundation that link renewable sources with storable molecular fuels—a step toward safer cleaner energy solutions for both industry and residential use.
“This advancement is a great example of the power of partnerships and the long and successful history of the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center supported by the state of New York,” said Vice President for Research and Innovation Kevin Gardner. “A productive energy innovation ecosystem yields major advancements and gets them to the demonstration phase as is being done here.”
“I-GIT was formed in 2018 in partnership with National Grid, to provide an industry-university collaborative platform and develop advanced technologies for the benefit of New York State customers,” said Robert B. Catell, chairman of the board of AERTC. “The strategic vision of the institute is now paying off as it makes inroads into technology demonstration, in this case with funding for hydrogen storage from NYSERDA. The expanded industry I-GIT membership that now includes ConEdison and VJ Technologies will ensure a pipeline of technology demonstration projects will follow.”
