Green Hydrogen: Making Ireland’s Potential a Reality

This webinar sought to examine Ireland’s potential in the area of green hydrogen, and how this potential can be fulfilled.

Contributors:
Seán Kelly MEP
Paddy Hayes (CEO of ESB)
Noel Cunniffe (CEO of Wind Energy Ireland)
Catherine Sheridan (COO of EIH2)

The event focused on harnessing Ireland’s potential in the area of green hydrogen and how producing, storing and using green hydrogen can complement the role of electricity in a secure, resilient, zero carbon integrated energy system, and what policy support measures could be introduced to speed up the transition to a hydrogen economy. The event also discussed the broader context with of ensuring energy security and system resilience, while working towards the overarching goal of a decarbonisation of the economy.

Although the European Commission has outlined a clear vision for the use of green hydrogen in the EU Hydrogen Strategy (2020), the Irish government has yet to develop a similar strategy for Ireland, something which would speed up Ireland’s development in this area.

Thanks to its geographic position, Ireland has the potential to become a European leader in the area of green hydrogen. In spite of the lack of a coordinated strategy at present, there are a number of innovative new hydrogen projects being developed across the island of Ireland. A coordinated, all-island strategy would further facilitate and encourage such projects. The ever-worsening climate crisis and recent geopolitical shifts have underlined the need to ensure the security of our energy supply from reliable, sustainable sources.