Identification of new and future markets for offshore wind and hydrogen energy

This report highlights the importance of hydrogen energy in Ireland. For the benefits of potential stakeholders, particularly EirWind industry partners, methods of hydrogen production, storage and transportation, including the present and the predicted costs, and a description of fuel cells are briefly reviewed and discussed. The discussion includes a concept of offshore platforms for hydrogen production from windfarms. The markets for hydrogen are first demonstrated by its supply and consumer chains and schematic and sectorial applications. A number of relevant reference case studies of hydrogen markets are reviewed including (i) present and future viability of renewable hydrogen produced from wind farms in Germany and Texas, USA, (ii) the green hydrogen economy in the Northern Netherlands, (iii) the H21 Leeds City Gate project studying technical and economic feasibility of converting the existing natural gas network in Leeds to 100% hydrogen, and (iv) a list of typical hydrogen-based vehicles and infrastructures in operation or under construction throughout the world. The opportunities for new and future hydrogen markets in Ireland are finally discussed with respect to reduction of wind energy LCOE and dispatch-down and to transport, industry, residential and other sectors. Actions to accomplish the market push and pull effects that need to be taken as a first priority by both market stakeholders and regulatory bodies, are proposed. Hydrogen needs to be included in scenarios of Ireland’s future energy and government policy. In order to push the market-push, government policy intervention is required to overcome major barriers to a hydrogen economy. That include policy and incentives for utilities to transition to hydrogen. After generating such initial push, a retrospective market pull across the hydrogen supply chain as certainty of a hydrogen economy should be established through regulatory business plans