Long Island town promotes hydrogen at 10:48 AM

While its tech is quite different, an Air Products hydrogen fueling station is built to look like a typical gas station.

(Credit: Air Products)

Hempstead, N.Y., a small town on Long Island, is installing the island's first hydrogen fueling station.

Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray made the announcement at the groundbreaking ceremony in conjunction with the New York State Energy Research Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the electric utility National Grid on Wednesday.

The station will actually pump three options: pure hydrogen, hydrogen with compressed natural gas, and natural gas. Air Products is contributing to the station design, build, and maintenance.

While that station will cost about $2 million to build, it will be subsidized with $1 million from NYSERDA, $55,000 in the form of a grant from National Grid, and additional tax credits.

As with the electric charging stations being installed in San Francisco, the pilot station in the town of Hempstead is being used to promote and educate the public about alternative fuel options for cars.

National Grid will own the station for the first three years, after which it will be handed over to the town. The station will be networked with others under the New York State Hydrogen Energy Roadmap.

"While it's gratifying to be at the forefront of 'green energy' initiatives, it's more important to contribute in a meaningful way toward the goals of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and reducing environmental pollutants. This effort is an important step toward achieving those priorities," Murray said in a statement to the press.