Renewable Hydrogen on the island of Ireland - the catalyst for a Balanced Pathway

Introduction
Hydrogen is not a new fuel by any measure, but its zero carbon qualities now underpin the rapid drive to facilitate the incorporation of hydrogen into global and domestic energy policy. As part of our journey in tackling the climate crisis Ireland signed up to the Paris Agreement in 2015 ]. The Paris Agreement includes commitments from developed and developing countries to reduce their emissions and work together to adapt to the impacts of climate change and calls on countries to commit to sustained climate mitigation measures. The Paris Agreement calls for emissions to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. To reach these targets all countries must develop and deliver a balanced pathway that takes all our energy needs, use and emissions into account. In an Irish context, the challenge is to knit energy and economic policy into a meaningful pathway – that is capable of delivery. Moreover, Ireland is rapidly reacting to REPowerEU [hyperlink] through the accelerated development of policies to develop and deliver on hydrogen, offshore wind and related industrialisation. The Paris Agreement also provides a pathway for developed nations to assist developing nations in their climate mitigation and adaptation efforts while creating a framework for the transparent monitoring and reporting of countries’ climate goals. The Paris Agreement set out about getting countries to recognise the need to work on an integrated basis and commit to a global framework targeting measures to limit global warming to below 2°C. The Paris Agreement also aims to strengthen countries' ability to deal with the impacts of climate change and support them in their drive to reach these targets. “Energy pathway” is not a meaningless aspirational term – it is at the core of global and domestic climate change policy that reaches into all aspects of the global economy. The importance of that term is accelerating.

The past 18 months has demonstrated the manifest complexity and interdependence of food and energy production, global warming and impact of conflict (specifically, the Russian invasion of Ukraine). A new ambitious pathway is a critical necessity. Introducing a balanced energy pathway requires a coordinated and multi-faceted approach. It involves aligning policies, mobilizing investments, fostering innovation, and engaging all stakeholders to create a sustainable and resilient energy system for the future.

Where does hydrogen sit in a ‘balanced pathway?
A balanced pathway, in energy terms, refers to a sustainable energy system that tackles the energy trilemma of sustainability, security and affordability. This trilemma has, however, been further complicated by the need to deliver a just transition to net zero; there are knock on social and economic aspects of the pathway. These four aspects form the cardinal points on the compass as we create and navigate our way along the balanced pathway. With the global surge in new sources of power including solar and offshore wind and political steps in key countries (including the USA), the prospect of decarbonising large chunks of society and industry is a real prospect. The pathway will involve the use of a mix of energy sources, including renewable and non-renewable sources, in a way that minimizes negative environmental impacts while ensuring reliable and affordable energy supply.

A balanced pathway is the transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, bio, hydropower, geothermal and more. This new green journey will have markers en route indicating the amount of reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change with additional markers or information signposts indicating increasing energy security and resilience.
Importantly, any balanced pathway will also recognise that some non-renewable energy sources, such as natural gas (low but not zero carbon energy source), will still be needed to manage and provide reliable energy supply during times when renewable energy sources are not available or during periods of high energy demand.

What are the steps on a balanced pathway?
The steps on a balanced pathway towards a sustainable energy system comprise and require a series of hard political, economic, and commercial choices backed up by non-sequential actions focused on reducing fossil fuel use and decarbonisation. In recognition of the different mix between countries’ industrial mix and energy use, energy pathways will differ between countries. Whilst there would be a typical number of high-level steps, each country would need to focus on key steps to accelerate their pathway whilst ensuring the direction of travel to net zero is maintained.

A pathway includes the following 3 primary steps:
1. Energy use and identifying areas for improvement:
       a. Energy:
Consumption: analysing fuel use, energy consumption patterns, identifying areas where energy efficiency improvements can be made, and setting energy use reduction targets. Identifying decarbonised replacement fuels, e.g., replacing natural gas with green hydrogen, etc.
      b. Conservation: especially at peak times: This involves promoting behavioural changes to reduce energy use, such as turning off lights and appliances when not in use (especially at peak times such as 5pm-7pm).
      c. Efficiency: improving energy efficiency reduces the amount of energy required to achieve the same level of output or service, thereby reducing overall energy consumption.

2. Develop the mix of energy use and storage sources/solutions:
     a. A balanced pathway involves transiting the mix of energy sources currently consumed from non-renewable to renewable sources, in a way that minimizes negative environmental impacts while ensuring reliable and affordable energy supply. Replacing the role which fossil fuels play today with renewable energy and hydrogen will be key to this pathway.
     b. Promoting renewable energy: this involves increasing the use and investment in renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower, and increasingly reducing the reliance on non-renewable sources such as fossil fuels in the hard to abate sectors through hydrogen.
     c. Implementing energy storage solutions: energy storage technologies such as batteries, pumped hydro and hydrogen to ensure reliable energy supply even when renewable energy sources are not available. Energy storage is poorly understood in many areas; it is a core lever for decarbonisation of all economies by addressing intermittency, security of supply and demand management. In each instance, storage mitigates the necessity to rely on short term fossil fuel support; the storage of renewable molecule at TWh scale is needed to secure the energy transition.

3. Enacting policies and regulations:
     a. Governments can play a key role in promoting a balanced pathway by implementing policies and regulations that encourage and incentivise energy efficiency, renewable energy, hydrogen, and sustainable energy use.
     b. Investing in research and development: Ongoing research and development can help to identify new energy sources and technologies, improve energy efficiency, and reduce the cost of renewable energy.

Overall, a balanced pathway involves a coordinated and multifaceted approach that considers the economic, environmental, and social aspects of energy production and consumption.
Clean energy solutions, renewable energy opportunities and carbon reduction technologies/applications differ from country to country depending on renewable opportunities. It is this geographical energy opportunity that must be addressed regionally by national governments and organisations and develop a bespoke national balanced pathway to net zero.

Green Hydrogen - Ireland’s bespoke clean energy carrier
With the publication of the National Hydrogen Strategy https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/624ab-national-hydrogen-strategy/ on 12th July 2023, Ireland now has the vision and tools to promote the comprehensive diversification of energy sources by transitioning away from fossil fuels and increasing the share of renewable energy in the nation’s energy mix. This strategy broadens our energy reach and will increase investments in ‘Hydrogenewables’ – hydrogen from renewable energy sources including solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass.
Green hydrogen is a promising transformative energy carrier that has the potential to play a crucial role in achieving net-zero emissions. Hydrogen can be produced from various sources such as water, natural gas, biomass, or even waste, and when burned or reacted with oxygen, it produces only water and heat, making it a zero-emission fuel. However green hydrogen produced from renewables is the cleanest form of hydrogen and has zero CO2 emissions.

One of the key benefits of green hydrogen is its versatility. It can be used in a range of sectors such as transport, industry, power generation and buildings. For instance, in the transport sector, hydrogen can be used to power fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) for trucks, HGVs, coaches, etc, while in industry, it can replace fossil fuels in high-temperature processes. It can be stored and transported easily, allowing it to balance the intermittency of wind and making it a viable option for areas where renewable energy sources are not readily available.

Hydrogen also has an essential in producing dispatchable , zero carbon electricity to back up wind and solar. There is no alternative to green H2 that aligns with Ireland’s natural resources and reduces our exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets.

One of the key challenges in transforming our energy system from fossil fuels to renewable energy is storage. Green hydrogen offers a solution to enable renewable energy produced today to be stored to produce energy when required in subsequent days, weeks, or months.
Green hydrogen as advocated by Hydrogen Ireland can be catalyst to accelerates Irelands journey to a balanced pathway towards net-zero emissions.

Moreover, it is also important to ensure that the transportation and distribution of hydrogen are done safely and efficiently. This includes developing or, where possible, re-purposing appropriate infrastructure such as pipelines and storage facilities.
Green hydrogen is a promising pathway advocated by Hydrogen Ireland and has the potential to accelerate Ireland’s journey to net-zero emissions. It is produced through the process of electrolysis using renewable energy sources such as solar or wind power and does not emit any carbon dioxide or other harmful pollutants during production, making it a clean and sustainable alternative to grey hydrogen, which is produced through the process of natural gas reforming and emits carbon dioxide.

However, the widespread adoption of green hydrogen faces several challenges, including the high cost of production and the current lack of infrastructure to support its use. To overcome these challenges, there is a need for continued innovation and investment in the technology and infrastructure necessary for the production, storage, and distribution and use of green hydrogen. which will require significant investment in research, development, and infrastructure to maximise its potential benefits.

Conclusion
Delivering a balanced energy pathway requires a comprehensive approach across environmental, economic, and social initiatives - inertia is not an option.
The Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland has launched an ambitious new energy strategy that includes plans to place hydrogen as a key energy source for the future. The Irish National Hydrogen Strategy includes a development roadmap of how the hydrogen economy could develop and scale up over the coming decades. The 21 actions identified will be implemented through the ongoing review of the Climate Action Plan and target the key building blocks for the balanced pathway.
PM 27.7.2023
This will require long-term commitment, collaboration, and a shared vision to ensure the pathway is sustainable and continues to meet our goals for clean energy and a secure and prosperous future.
Achieving success on a balanced energy pathway requires a comprehensive approach that involves and balances several key strategies and actions across environmental, economic, and social initiatives – it is about creating a balance between these that then allows Ireland to construct a pathway to achieve the climate goals of 2030 and 2050. A pathway that is open to and encompasses all.
By following these steps detailed above and adopting a holistic approach, Ireland can through the cohesion of government, businesses, and individuals, work together to achieve success on constructing a sustainable balanced energy pathway. With the publication of the National Hydrogen Strategy, the ongoing review of the Climate Action Plan and other strategies Ireland has the plans and building blocks for the pathway, but it also requires long-term commitment, collaboration, and a shared vision to ensure the pathway is sustainable and continues to meet our goals for a clean energy future.
Ireland’s challenge is creating and successfully transitioning to a balanced energy pathway that will deliver positive outcomes contributing to sustainability, environmental protection, economic benefits, and social equity. It is also important to ensure that, unlike our railway system, our balanced pathway, whilst bespoke is also a fit with other global pathways. We must ensure the Irish Energy Camino is of the same energy gauge as all other countries, that it enables international cohesion and is part of a global climate challenge success.