The partnership represents another milestone in Ireland's emerging hydrogen economy as part of its transition to a low-carbon future.
Under this agreement, ESB and dCarbonX will work together on licensing, environmental studies, site selection, project sanctioning, offshore infrastructure development, commissioning and operations in areas that are adjacent to ESB's existing and planned future infrastructure.
The partnership covers all subsea energy storage offshore in Ireland and will also support the creation of a proposed new 'Green Hydrogen Valley' centred around the Poolbeg peninsula in Dublin, which will enable green hydrogen production and storage that can be used to decarbonise heavy transport, shipping, industry and power generation.
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Padraig O'Hiceadha, ESB Strategy Manager, Generation and Trading, said: "ESB recognises that hydrogen produced from renewable electricity will play a significant role in the decarbonisation of many sectors. To that end, we plan to use our existing capabilities and future renewable growth to become a leading player in large scale renewable hydrogen production, thereby enabling renewable electricity, in the form of electrons or green molecules, to meet the energy requirements of Ireland’s future zero-carbon economy. We are proud to partner with dCarbonX to develop the many opportunities in this emerging industry."
Ireland's clean energy transition requires a balance of solutions which includes the production of green hydrogen. When wind farms produce more electricity than can be used, the excess renewable electricity can be converted into green hydrogen - without producing greenhouse gas emissions - and stored as a fuel to be later used for when the wind isn’t blowing.
The large-scale storage of green hydrogen is a cornerstone of future low carbon, resilient and reliable energy sectors. Storing green hydrogen at scale in subsurface offshore caverns is a safe and cost-effective solution, enabling the large-scale deployment of intermittent renewable energy whilst also improving national security of supply and reducing system energy losses.
