Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 May 2026
37. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the way in which the Government intends to support pilot scale electrolyser deployment that can absorb surplus renewable electricity, as referenced in the National Hydrogen Strategy; and whether targeted State funding will be made available to ensure these projects can begin operation before 2030. [38324/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Hydrogen Programme Taskforce is making good progress on a number of key strands to deliver the actions from the National Hydrogen Strategy, including developing a fund for hydrogen demonstration projects.
Action 2 of the Strategy specifically provides for the establishment of an early hydrogen innovation fund to support demonstration projects across the hydrogen value chain. My Department has commissioned KPMG to support the development of the Strategic Assessment and Preliminary Business Case for the hydrogen demonstration fund, which are required for the first approval stage under the Infrastructure Guidelines and are critical for developing the strategic case for capital investment funding proposals. This piece of work will assist the Department in progressing through the subsequent approval stages including detailed fund design.
The role of the Taskforce is to ensure a coordinated cross-departmental approach to the development of the hydrogen sector in Ireland. As such, the fund’s design will be informed by the outcome of other actions, including Action 1 to ‘develop and publish data sets showing the likely locations, volumes, and load profile of surplus renewables on our electricity grid out to 2030’.
The demonstration fund will aim to kick-start the deployment of green hydrogen deployment in Ireland and will contribute to decarbonisation of Ireland's economy and enhance our energy security. My Department is working to deliver the hydrogen demonstration fund by 2027.
