Sourcing Hydrogen for Alternative Mobility, Realising Opportunities and Creating Know How in Ireland

Project Information

SH2AMROCK

Grant agreement ID: 101112039

DOI

10.3030/101112039

EC signature date 11 December 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 31 December 2028

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 54 806 601,01

EU contribution

€ 7 582 467,22

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY
Ireland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SH2AMROCK (Sourcing Hydrogen for Alternative Mobility, Realising Opportunities and Creating Know How in Ireland)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

SH2AMROCK is a 5-year, €54-million project to build, operate, and grow Ireland’s first Green Hydrogen Valley. It incorporates all elements of the green hydrogen value chain, from production and storage to distribution and dispensing, and on to end-use in the hard-to-abate sectors. The project consortium of 28 members from 12 countries was awarded funding of €7.5 million from the EU’s Clean Hydrogen Partnership. SH2AMROCK will see green hydrogen production at Mount Lucas wind farm, in Co Offaly, transportation of the hydrogen to Galway Port, operation of Ireland’s first purpose-built hydrogen refuelling station (HRS), and use of the hydrogen to decarbonise local freight, haulage and logistics fleets, as well as city bus and intercity coach fleets. Additionally, the project will see hydrogen used to decarbonise high-temperature heat demand at a construction materials plant, and to conduct zero-emissions flight trials between Connemara and the Aran Islands. Of crucial importance, SH2AMROCK will be the seed from which a nationwide hydrogen network can grow. The project commenced in 2024 and will run for 5 years.

SH2AMROCK will deploy the following:
• Up to 4 MW electrolyser capacity at Mount Lucas Wind Farm producing at least 500 tonnes of green hydrogen annually.
• Onsite high-pressure storage and three tube trailers for a virtual pipeline from Mount Lucas to Galway Port.
• A Hydrogen Refuelling Station (HRS) at Galway Port.
• Three hydrogen-fuelled double deck buses, ten intercity coaches, five logistics trucks, and four vans/minibuses.
• A stationery fuel cell for combined heat and power at Galway Port.
• Decarbonisation of bitumen production in Oranmore.
• Demonstration of hydrogen-fuelled flights at Connemara Airport.
• Green hydrogen supply beyond the needs of the SH2AMROCK partners.
SH2AMROCK will be the first step in realising Ireland’s long-term hydrogen and energy ambitions. The project will deploy Ireland’s first multi-modal hydrogen transport hub to grow domestic confidence, experience, and knowhow to realise decarbonisation in hard-to-abate sectors, enable further cross-border energy collaboration with Northern Ireland, and unlock the island’s long-term energy-exporter position. The project is committed to building upon the work carried out by existing Irish demonstration projects, and European hydrogen valleys, to produce a scope of work that will truly enhance the domestic and international hydrogen sector. SH2AMROCK has strong linkages with all these European projects and thus has a detailed understanding of their workplans, and the current knowledge gaps that require addressing in the hydrogen sector. SH2AMROCK will build upon key aspects of these projects’ deployment scope and study work to deliver a cutting-edge innovative

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The project governance and all Work Package structures are fully functioning. This project has 2 key pillars of activity: Pillar I represents all the infrastructure partners to create the Hydrogen Valley – the core technical activities of the project. Pillar II creates an ambitious programme that to realise long-term sector development across Ireland and the rest of the EU. The main focus of the current activity at this stage of the project is in Pillar 1 as we are working through the pre-deployment activities of the SH2AMROCK Hydrogen Valley.

Progress has been made on deliverables in WPs 1, 2 and 7, with particular emphasis on project governance. The consortium has secured planning consent for the electrolyser at Mount Lucas wind farm. This was achieved through comprehensive local and national stakeholder engagement. Significant progress has also been made towards securing substantial additional external funding for the project. The consortium has presented the project to policy makers in the relevant government departments with a view to securing further support for its development, exemplified by the project being cited, under its old name of “Galway Hydrogen Hub” as an exemplar in Ireland’s National Hydrogen Strategy.

Within the consortium, there has been considerable progress in building knowledge of how hydrogen can and should be implemented within the individual infrastructure partners. Many of the infrastructure partners did not have significant knowledge of or experience with hydrogen prior to SH2AMROCK.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

SH2AMROCK will be the first step in realising Ireland’s long-term hydrogen and energy ambitions. The project will deploy Ireland’s first multi-modal hydrogen transport hub (SO2) in order to grow domestic confidence, experience, and knowhow to realise decarbonisation in hard-to-abate sectors, enable further cross-border energy collaboration with NI, and unlock the island’s long-term energy-exporter position. The project is committed to building upon the work carried out by existing Irish demonstration projects, and European hydrogen valleys, to produce a scope of work that will truly enhance the domestic and international hydrogen sector. SH2AMROCK, through its experienced and wide-ranging project partners, has strong linkages with all these European projects (SO7) and thus has a detailed understanding of their workplans, and the current knowledge gaps that require addressing in the hydrogen sector. SH2AMROCK will build upon key aspects of these project’s deployment scope and study work to deliver a cutting-edge innovative workplan. SH2AMROCK will deploy an open science approach throughout both the study and replication work packages. Reports produced as part of the project will be reviewed internally by sector-leading academics from the project’s research partners, as well as sector experts, in review groups. Project outputs will be submitted internally to this review group prior to deliverable deadline, to ensure project outputs meet sufficient quality, and address project, and CHP objectives. Specific research outputs, including reports and project tools, will be made publicly available to increase the impact of the project’s research.

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