Stony Brook University has received a grant of more than $4.9 million from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to develop a hydrogen storage demonstration project at a Northwell Health Hospital site. The project aims to create a low-pressure, ambient-temperature hydrogen-storage system designed to enhance the resiliency and reliability of hospital energy operations.
The initiative will focus on developing high volumetric density energy storage that operates under mild temperature and pressure conditions, particularly for densely populated areas with significant energy needs. The system employs technology developed by Stony Brook’s Institute of Gas Innovation and Technology (I-GIT), part of the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center. This approach integrates hydrogen production with solid adsorbent-based storage, enabling on-demand release of hydrogen under controlled conditions.
The demonstration is intended to prove the feasibility of storing hydrogen in solid adsorbents at scale, supporting safe deployment in various settings. Modular units will be installed at the hospital site so that capacity can be adjusted according to demand. If successful, this technology could be replicated in other sectors such as hospitals and data centers to improve 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, PhD, Professor of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering and Director of I-GIT, who serves as principal investigator for the project. He added that I-GIT uses the Power-to-Products (P2X) concept aimed at producing fuels with minimal carbon emissions using modular systems.
The demonstration will feature integration of an electrolyzer, hydrogen storage system, and fuel cell stack for delivering power on demand for applications such as backup power supply or electric vehicle charging stations. Technical expertise comes from I-GIT faculty members including Professors T. Venkatesh and Clive Clayton; industry partners—Northwell Health, ConEdison, Plug Power Inc., H2B2 Electrolysis Technologies Inc., Hydrexia Corporation Limited, BrainDrip—are contributing over $6 million through cost-sharing arrangements along with providing a host site for implementation. This brings total project costs above $11 million.
The broader hybrid concept underlying this effort has been developed and patented by the Research Foundation as part of linking renewable sources with storable forms of energy molecules.
“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 Dr. Kevin Gardner, Vice President for Research and Innovation. “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 AERTC's Board. “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.”
Stony Brook University continues its commitment to advancing clean energy solutions while collaborating across academia, healthcare providers like Northwell Health—which operates hospitals throughout New York—and private sector partners.