Green hydrogen opportunity
Matt Shanahan discussed Ireland’s potential role in supplying green hydrogen to Germany following a Bundestag visit. The Minister said she would ask the relevant Minister to update him.
Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the German Bundestag along with members of the German-Irish Chamber of Industry and Commerce and we also had significant people there from the wind energy development sector. The main purpose of the visit was to highlight to Germany how Ireland can be a significant contributor to green hydrogen in the coming years. The current German national hydrogen strategy shows it will need to import more than 70% of its hydrogen needs by 2030 while Ireland will have significant resources at that end. At the moment, the German Government is engaging with countries such as Chile, Ecuador and Australia, while we have yet to publish our hydrogen strategy or enter any memorandum of understanding with the German Government to advance joint hydrogen initiative projects. I ask the Minister to push the Government, first, to publish our hydrogen strategy. Second, will she also add momentum to the Minister, Deputy Ryan, to co-sign a declaration of interest to co-operate in the field of green hydrogen development?
Comment on this
I thank the Deputy for raising this. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Ryan, to give the Deputy an update on that particular matter. I do not have details to hand but I am happy to make sure that he responds to the query he has raised.