A memorandum of understanding has been signed today between Ireland’s first green hydrogen company, EIH2, the Port of Cork and the Port of Amsterdam.

This partnership will enable Ireland to maximise its use of offshore wind as a source of energy, by providing an alternative route to market for such renewable electricity. Earlier this year, the Irish Government identified an additional 2GW of offshore wind to be used for green hydrogen production, and this partnership provides the route to market that is needed for Ireland to become a net exporter of energy over time.

This partnership will help to enable the establishment of a supply chain for green hydrogen between Ireland and Europe via the port of Amsterdam.

This partnership agreement reflects the high level of collaboration between Ireland and The Netherlands and the European approach of working together to become the first Net Zero continent. The event forms part of a major offshore wind mission organised by the Netherlands Embassy in Ireland from 11th to 14th September and held in Cork. The purpose of the mission is to increase collaboration on the energy transition between Ireland and The Netherlands at a national level and business to business.

The event will bring together key stakeholders from the wind sector in Ireland and The Netherlands including supply chain, developers, academics, utilities, policy writers and policy influencers.

The signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding was attended by the Dutch Minister for Climate and Energy Policy, Mr. Rob Jetten, and the Irish Minister of State for Public Procurement, eGovernment and Circular Economy, Mr. Ossian Smyth, as official witnesses to the agreement. Also represented were Lord Mayor Cork City, Cllr Deirdre Forde and Deputy Lord Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Anthony Barry.

Pearse Flynn, EIH2’s founder said: “Our goal at EIH2 is to help both Ireland and Europe achieve their ambitious energy targets. The recent RePowerEU plan quadruples the role for Green Hydrogen in Europe. This was reflected in Ireland’s recent carbon budgets, with an additional 2GW of offshore wind planned specifically for green hydrogen production. This partnership is the beginning of a supply chain for green hydrogen from Ireland where there is a lot of wind but not a lot of hydrogen demand to Europe where the situation is reversed.”

Conor Mowlds, Chief Commercial Officer of the Port of Cork Company said: “At the Port of Cork Company, we see significant opportunities for Cork Harbour to become a hub for renewable energy, which will benefit the environment, local businesses and create employment in the region. We hope to utilise our facilities at this strategic location, working together with like-minded partners to support the development of renewable energy opportunities.”

Ireland and the Netherlands have traditionally enjoyed strong and historic trade relations and both countries have placed strategic priority on the development of production capacity and international distribution of green hydrogen.

Gert-Jan Nieuwenhuizen, Director Business Development Cargo of Port of Amsterdam said: “Port of Amsterdam is very pleased with the signing of this MoU with such valuable partners. It underlines both the strong ties between Ireland and our port and the increasing importance of green hydrogen. For Port of Amsterdam, priorities are to make green hydrogen available to the large industrial clusters in the greater Amsterdam area, as well as to serve as a gateway to the European hinterland, including regions with high potential demand in Germany. The developments in the south of Ireland and the technical proficiency of Irish parties, mean the country will be well positioned for the future export of this new energy source. The port of Amsterdam will offer a route to market for Irish green hydrogen, both in our port itself, and in the rest of Europe.”

One of the world’s leading providers of engineering, procurement and construction services to the energy industry has been appointed by energy company EI-H2 to help develop Ireland’s first commercial scale green hydrogen production facility.

Worley will soon enter the concept design phase of plans for the 50-megawatt plant that will be located in Aghada, close to lower Cork Harbour.

It will see green hydrogen produced by electrolysis, powered by renewable energy. Once operational, the facility is expected to supply over 20 tonnes of green hydrogen per day to a diverse commercial market and remove 63,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

The project — which as previously reported on Afloat.ie will be one of the largest green energy facilities of its kind in the world — will also generate job creation in the local area and assist in meeting the targets of Ireland’s recent Climate Bill which mandates emissions reductions of 51% by 2030.

Worley’s technical and commercial experts will be developing the concept design for the facility, utilising best practice from similar projects around the globe to accelerate project delivery and achieve the earliest possible commercial production date, supporting Ireland in its ambition to become a leader in green energy.

With a portfolio of future projects in the pipeline for Ireland, this first-of-its kind project also marks the start of many planned developments for EI-H2.

“We are delighted to partner with Worley as we look to deliver Ireland’s first green hydrogen production facility in Aghada, Co Cork,” said Tom Lynch, chief executive of EI-H2. “We firmly believe that Ireland is incredibly well positioned to become a global leader in green energy.

“At EI-H2, we believe in partnerships that last. In that context, Worley are the natural choice to develop this key infrastructure.”

Eoghan Quinn, vice president of power and new energy at Worley, added: “This is an exciting opportunity for Worley to apply our vast experience in delivering the world’s most ground-breaking green hydrogen projects to the Irish market.

“As more renewable energy comes online, Ireland has a strategic role to play in decarbonising Europe. We continue to grow our strong footprint in this geography, supporting our customers to build a more sustainable future.”

The project is expected to be operational before the end of 2023.