Ireland has a strong supply of wind and solar power, but it’s too much for its power grid to handle. As a result, a good amount of the country’s renewable energy goes to waste. This is why the company Net Zero Energy is working on an over $2 billion project to take the extra renewable energy and turn it into green hydrogen. The proposed project is called the Rathrush Green Energy Park.

Turning Renewable Waste Into Power

renewable energy
The new project will turn Irelands solar and wind power into green hydrogen; Photo: elxeneize/Shutterstock

Plans for the green energy park include a 600MW storage facility to recycle the excess power from wind and the sun into green hydrogen. From there, the facility will store the hydrogen underground in lined rock caverns. If the grid needs extra power in the future, the hydrogen can be turned back into electricity.

According to the company, the setup will cut about 180,000 tons of CO₂ emissions every year, which is comparable to taking 40,000 cars off the road.

Advertisement

“The project presents an important as well as timely solution to the current pressing and complex energy dilemma facing the country, both in terms of security of supply and decarbonizing our grid,” NZE Chief Executive, Peter Harte said. “By delivering a national solution helping Ireland on its journey to energy independence, it simultaneously provides reassurance and confidence for high-end electricity users seeking to locate here in Ireland.”

Supporting the Energy Grid

Compared to Ireland’s existing infrastructure, the project is giant. It will reportedly store 30 times more green energy than existing facilities.

“By making available 600MW of renewable energy at the flick of a switch, this project can satisfy as much as 10% of Ireland’s peak energy requirement,” NZE chairman, Tim Cowhig added. “Rathrush Green Energy Park provides significant, secure, sustainable long duration energy storage for the Irish grid.”

The project will bring up to 1,500 workers on-site during construction, and it will create 70 long-term, highly skilled jobs later. NZE hopes to lodge a planning application by the end of this year.