Could large scale hydrogen storage facilities located in the sea become a common site in the future? The ESB believes so.

The ESB has partnered with GeoEnergy to assess the potential of developing Irish offshore green hydrogen below-surface storage.

With the proposed development of multiple offshore wind farms over the coming decade, this presents an opportunity for hydrogen production.

When wind farms produce more electricity than can be used, the excess renewable electricity can be converted into green hydrogen.

Green hydrogen

Green hydrogen is produced by using renewable electricity to split water into its basic elements of hydrogen and oxygen. It is a carbon-free gas that can be safely stored and used as a replacement fuel for heavy transport, shipping, industry and backup power generation.

This partnership brings us one step closer to the emerging hydrogen economy. It will cover 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.

This will enable green hydrogen production and storage that can be used to decarbonise heavy transport, shipping, industry and power generation.

Tony O’Reilly, dCarbonX CEO, said: “The large-scale underground storage of green hydrogen is the critical element to Ireland fully exploiting its significant indigenous wind energy resources both for domestic consumption and overseas export”.