In New York..Hochul’s blueprint targets "green" or renewable hydrogen, according to the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), one of the three state agencies tasked with drafting the hydrogen plans. Renewable hydrogen is produced by splitting water molecules using wind or solar electricity and does not typically have a carbon footprint.

"NYSERDA is advancing a focused approach on green hydrogen, and will evaluate additional options as part of a comprehensive analysis of hydrogen opportunities in New York State," wrote Smolen.

According to Hochul’s blueprint, New York will submit proposals to the Biden administration for a share of the $8 billion, while supplementing it with a minimum of $1 billion in nonfederal financing. One "key element" of its pitch to the administration would see the deployment of microgrids in underserved communities, where clean hydrogen fuel cell systems could replace emissions-intensive generators as backup power, it said.

This year, state agencies will also design new regulations, prize contests, and demonstration projects that study the use of green hydrogen as a source of heating and cooling for entire communities, according to the blueprint.

Theresa Smolen, a spokesperson for NYSERDA, said "the exact content of the proposal(s) for a Hydrogen Hub … are being determined,” along with the "exact scope and details" of state regulations guiding hydrogen production.

Across the United States, the competition for the $8 billion hydrogen pot is likely to play out over 2022 and much of 2023. Funding proposals of the kind planned by Hochul are due in May, with awards arriving a year later, according to DOE

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