The Belfast Met led EU hydrogen project GenComm has welcomed the Irish National Hydrogen Strategy which was launched this week.
GenComm Programme Manager Paul McCormack said: “Ireland’s decarbonisation route map now has Green Hydrogen coordinates; these will assist us all in our navigation to ‘real zero’ and assist in building a green economy.”
Launching the National Hydrogen Strategy, Minister for Transport, Climate, Environment and Communications Eamon Ryan said: “This strategy sets out our vision for how hydrogen will be produced and used in Ireland, as well as what needs to be done to enable the development of Ireland’s hydrogen sector, providing greater certainty on the role that hydrogen will play in the Irish energy system and delivering an important first step in the establishment of a significant hydrogen industry in Ireland. “
Among the 21 short term actions in the strategy to enable a development of the hydrogen sector in Ireland are the idea of developing a plan for transitioning the gas network in Ireland to hydrogen with a timeframe of 2023-26.
The strategy also wants to progress work to identify and support the development of strategic hydrogen clusters. Case studies referenced in the document includes the Galway Hydrogen Hub with GenComm Partner , the University of Galway a stakeholder involved.
Further work will be undertaken to assess the role that integrated energy parks could play in our future energy system including their potential benefits and the possible barriers that may exist in a timeframe of 2023-25.
The strategy will also establish an early hydrogen innovation fund to provide co funding supports for demonstration projects across the hydrogen value chain.
