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Green hydrogen in Ireland could create thousands of jobs, report says

The deployment of green hydrogen at scale in Ireland could attract considerable foreign investment, lead to the creation of thousands of secure jobs and solidify the country’s status as a hub for renewable energy.

That’s according to a new White Paper by representative body Hydrogen Mobility Ireland, which issued a number of recommendations on how the deployment of hydrogen across transport could propel Ireland’s transition to net-zero in both transport and the wider economy.

The publication follows the Government’s decision to open a public consultation on the development of a national strategy for green hydrogen.

HMI’s report says that hydrogen has the capacity to fully eliminate CO2 emissions from heavy goods vehicles on our roads.

The deployment of hydrogen across the wider transport network would reduce Ireland’s carbon emissions by 2.6 per cent by 2030, it claims.

It adds that the production of green hydrogen would diversify Ireland’s energy supply, providing enhanced energy security.

The report goes on to state how the progress of other European countries can provide a useful template for Ireland to develop its own strategy for the deployment of green hydrogen across public and private transport.

Both France and Portugal have allocated €7 billion to hydrogen production projects, while Germany has allocated €8 billion of funding as part of its own national hydrogen strategy.

In addition, the UK has granted £30 million for the manufacturing of 124 fuel cell buses in Birmingham, and has introduced an £11.2 million Government grant to develop low-cost hydrogen fuel cell technology for buses.

Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan and Jonathan Hogan, business manager at Hydrogen Mobility Ireland.

According to the report, an investment proportional to Ireland’s size and commuter population would allow for 6,000 hydrogen-fuelled vehicles on the road by 2030.

“Given that Ireland will be legally mandated to advance a network of hydrogen refuelling stations along its major motorways as per forthcoming EU legislation, the time for action and implementation is now,” the report says.

Jonathan Hogan, business manager at Hydrogen Mobility Ireland commented: “HMI’s policy papers show that the production of green hydrogen at scale, will facilitate Ireland in reducing its carbon emissions across transport and other industries, while creating significant opportunities for regional employment and boosting the green economy.

“The sooner that we implement a national hydrogen strategy, the sooner we will transition away from fossil fuels, towards a low carbon economy.”