In Ireland, today, the production and use of hydrogen is relatively modest when compared to most other developed European countries, especially as a decarbonising agent, mainly used in the semiconductor industry as well as an industry feedstock. BOC produces most of the need from a small grid connected electrolyser in west Dublin. However, hydrogen activities and projects are taking shape across the island of Ireland. A growing interest in hydrogen technologies is evident, from the ESB joining forces with Equinor who are aiming that Moneypoint in county Clare will become a “hydrogen Hub” by 2030 [1]; to EI-H2 joining forces with Zenith Energy having set their sights on producing hydrogen from offshore wind in county Cork [2].
Studies by universities such as DCU & NUIG have suggested the use of electrolyser technologies for the conversion of the growing amounts of excess wind energy in Ireland into green hydrogen to benefit the addition of more renewable energy, while at the same time reducing curtailment and grid constraint [3, 4, 5]; while Gas Networks Ireland is currently building an innovation centre in Dublin where it plans to assess hydrogen’s suitability for use on its natural gas system [4].
In transport, the latest National Policy Framework on Alternative Fuels Infrastructure for Transport in Ireland envisages a continued penetration of hydrogen as a transport fuel across the Irish fleet from 2030 [5]. Even though there are currently no hydrogen refuelling stations in the Republic of Ireland, BOC already provides a simple refuelling process in west Dublin, while Logan Energy has just commissioned the first hydrogen refuelling station near Belfast, in Northern Ireland, to support the operation of 20 hydrogen-powered buses there in the near future [6]. In the Republic, Hydrogen Mobility Ireland (HMI), DCU and 20 other partners facilitated the trial of the first hydrogen-powered bus on the island of Ireland in late 2020, which covered 3,000km on a variety of city and suburban routes and obtained excellent feedback from the public and from stakeholders such as Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, CIE and Dublin Airport [7]. This trial has been expanded to a deployment of three hydrogen double decker buses which commenced in July 2021, which will operate public transport routes in North Dublin (route 105a if you are interested in taking a spin) [8].
Today Europe is paving the way, globally for a green future, setting polity to reduce emission across the EU with renewable energy & hydrogen centre stage. However, in Ireland, we seem to be behind the curve; not by academics or semi-state companies or SMEs or even communities or developers; these are beginning to get the point and are learning. But it seems some think tanks and energy leaders we would expect to grasp the opportunity to expand our economy, create jobs and close the gap between rural and urban divide are ignoring opportunity! With misinformation of expense and efficiency and the most unethical is positioning clean technologies against each other. Let us work together! Hydrogen allows for zero emissions for the end-user, in Ireland it can be green; is becoming economical; it is very efficient if you compare it to wasting energy; can complement electricity, batteries and heat-pumps! But initially it needs supports and regulation to nurture this opportunity.
From my point of view hydrogen technologies are expected to gather significant momentum in Ireland over the next years, fuelled by scientific data from academic research feasibility studies, roadmaps and projects NexSys, Eirwind, Hwind, H2West & HyLIGHT; the potential granting of planning permission for a swathe of large scale industrial electrolyser projects that are coming down the pipeline; as well as the first refuelling stations for HDVs; but also supported by interest from the government and society in the context of a cleaner energy infrastructure and a carbon-neutral future.
For Ireland, Hydrogen is a new economy right now, is generating inward investment and is creating jobs North and South of the border! We are at the very start, we have a long way to go, but hydrogen has so much to offer to the economy and to society and to decarbonising our energy, transport, industry and communities.
By Dr James Carton, DCU, Hydrogen Ireland Chair and Kelvin Martins
Links & References
[1] https://www.esb.ie/tns/press-centre/2021/2021/04/09/esb-announces-green-atlantic-@-moneypoint
[3] https://www.seai.ie/documents/research-projects/RDD-000326.pdf
[5] https://www.nweurope.eu/media/10081/arya-paper-8-april-2020-energies-13-01798-v2-1.pdf
[7] https://assets.gov.ie/27463/6ce8a48a99c44e1dbf40a59a073cb06d.pdf
[8] https://www.h2-view.com/story/hydrogen-station-plans-unveiled-for-belfast/
[9] https://h2mi.ie/irelands-first-hydrogen-fuel-cell-bus-trial
[10] https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0713/1234927-hydrogen-bus-launch/
