SWITCH Maritime receives funding to develop New York’s first hydrogen fuel cell-electric ferry

New York Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday (21 August) announced more than USD 11 million has been awarded to five clean hydrogen research and development projects. 

Among them, SWITCH Maritime LLC was awarded USD 2 million to develop and demonstrate New York’s first hydrogen fuel cell-electric ferry to provide zero-emission transportation on New York City waterways.

The awarded projects will demonstrate new technology designs, cost reductions associated with clean hydrogen storage and distribution, evaluate large-scale clean hydrogen storage opportunities, and deploy zero-emission hydrogen-powered transportation. 

“New York’s investments in clean hydrogen are helping to unlock this emerging resource as a potential contributor to the state’s affordable, abundant, and reliable energy system,” Governor Hochul said. 

“Advancing alternative fuels like clean hydrogen will grow our clean energy economy while reducing emissions statewide.”

The projects were selected through the Advanced Fuels and Thermal Energy Research Program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), which provides funding for clean fuel innovation projects that help to decarbonise industrial processes, integrate clean fuel production with renewable energy, and demonstrate clean fuel power generation systems to support the grid reliability. 

Beyond grid support, the awarded projects will demonstrate how clean hydrogen can help to reduce various emissions, including carbon, nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter, from industrial processes and transportation in congested areas, helping to improve public health near transit hubs, industrial corridors, and hospitals.

New York State Energy Research and Development Authority President and CEO Doreen M. Harris, said: “We are proud to partner with these companies that have been awarded for their bold vision in advancing clean hydrogen as part of New York’s energy transition. These innovative projects are catalysts for development that will lower costs, grow the economy, and make this resource a viable solution as part of a diversified clean energy mix for all New Yorkers.”

The other awarded projects are:

• GTI Energy was awarded over USD 220,000 to evaluate New York’s geological hydrogen storage potential to support large-scale, long-duration energy storage through site-specific studies to inform statewide infrastructure planning.
• National Grid Ventures was awarded USD 2 million to install the first commercially deployed, 100 percent hydrogen-fuelled linear generator at National Grid’s Northport Power Plant in Fort Salonga. It will be tested for one year to demonstrate its benefits in improving air quality and grid reliability.
• Plug Power Inc. was awarded USD2 million to partner with Verne to co-develop new hydrogen distribution trailers with cryo-compressed storage technologies, which can reduce cost, improve efficiency, and enable clean hydrogen deployment for small to mid-sized warehouse and distribution centre customers in New York.
• Stony Brook University was awarded over USD 4.9 million for a low-pressure, ambient-temperature hydrogen storage system at Northwell Health Hospital to improve resilience and reliability of the healthcare systems operation.

Photo credit: Florian Wehde on Unsplash
Published: 25 August, 2025