Ireland inches closer towards hydrogen roll-out through potential agreement with France
Gas Networks Ireland's hydrogen technical manager, Wayne Mullins, showing a demo model of hydrogen generation through electrolysis to chief executive, Hydrogen Ireland, Paul McCormack and head of customer care and communications, Gas Networks Ireland, Kate Gannon.
Ireland’s burgeoning renewable energy industry, among others, continues to be rocked by tariffs and trade wars, which have created caution among investors and dealmakers.
However, despite global turmoil, an agreement between Ireland and a European neighbour looks increasingly likely in relation to hydrogen roll-out.
“France and Ireland are mutually beneficial partners in shaping a shared hydrogen economy,” said Paul McCormack, chief executive of Hydrogen Ireland, an all-island organisation.
Mr McCormack made his comments as Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with France Hydrogène was being finalised in October.
Industry leaders from France and Ireland have made significant progress in the roll-out of hydrogen. Pilot projects and infrastructure have been developed to support it, especially in France, which aims to deploy 6.5GW of electrolyser capacity by 2030.
The MOU was developed to boost tech transfer and deployment through joint research and development. The initiative aims to create a “Celtic–Gallic Hydrogen Corridor”, according to Mr McCormack, linking Ireland’s offshore wind and hydrogen valleys with France’s industrial heartlands.
“A hydrogen alliance between Ireland and France is much more than just strategic, with the nations’ histories and current projects including the France/Ireland interconnector, our collaboration will become a cross-channel choreography of clean energy,” Mr McCormack said.
However, commercial viability hinges on cost and scale. Participants acknowledged that hydrogen is still expensive, but some are expecting costs to ease as innovation in this space grows and global economic chaos stabilises.
There are domestic obstacles that stakeholders in Ireland’s hydrogen economy are also wary of when it comes to the progress of The National Hydrogen Programme Implementation Plan (2025).
The preparation of infrastructure is a central challenge, according to Jean-Michel Portefaix from Expertise France, who has worked extensively on the MOU.
“Hydrogen requires a complete value chain of production, storage, transport, and end-use facilities,” he recently said on his blog.
He added that Ireland needs to adapt its gas network to allow hydrogen blending and develop hubs that can connect offshore wind resources to industry and export routes.
Storage is also a concern. Mr Portefaix said adequate long-duration storage, both geological and above-ground, is needed to provide flexibility in a system dominated by variable renewables.
“The Plan stresses that without timely investment and planning, bottlenecks in infrastructure could delay progress and increase costs,” he said.
Regulation and regulatory clarity is another critical condition, Mr Portefaix said.
He said a Hydrogen Network Operator will need to be designated if the EU Hydrogen and Decarbonised Gas Market Package is transposed by 2026, the deadline outlined in the Plan.
Mr Portefaix also said Ireland needs to establish the rules for hydrogen network operation and ensure the nation’s full participation in the European governance structure.
In addition, he said Ireland “must establish a system for certifying renewable hydrogen in line with EU RFNBO rules, including guarantees of origin and sustainability criteria.” “Without regulatory clarity and certification, hydrogen produced in Ireland would not qualify for EU targets or be tradable in European markets,” said Mr Portefaix.
Financing was listed as a third hurdle, as hydrogen projects are capital-intensive and carry significant commercial risks.
The Plan outlined that a combination of public and private funding will be required to stimulate investment.
Meanwhile, France has become an attractive collaborator for European neighbours investing in hydrogen. The country offers expertise in nuclear and hydropower, providing stable baseload energy to support hydrogen production. In addition, France also boasts strong steel and chemical industries, which are vital for hydrogen adoption.
Vitally though, France is also a continental hydrogen hub, with pipelines and ports such as Marseille and Le Havre. However, potential international partners may need more convincing when it comes to Ireland.
“Ireland, as an Atlantic gateway, can export green hydrogen or derivatives such as ammonia to France via maritime corridors, especially as France ramps up demand for clean fuels in transport and industry,” said Mr McCormack.
However, Ireland’s vast offshore wind potential and system-coupling ambition may have once sparked interest among international partners, but chronic delays and a cautious investment atmosphere could have dampened Ireland’s appeal.
Mr McCormack remains optimistic though, and suggested that on a European level, working in tandem on hydrogen policy would be obvious as both nations are aligned under the EU Green Deal, the REPowerEU plan, and the Clean Hydrogen Partnership.
“France’s industrial clout and Ireland’s agility make them ideal co-pilots in shaping EU hydrogen regulation, certification, and cross-border trade,” said Mr McCormack.
“France is home to leading electrolyser manufacturers and hydrogen tech firms. Ireland could benefit from French expertise, supply chains, and co-development opportunities, especially in scaling pilot projects and building domestic manufacturing capacity,” he added.
The MOU was created after Hydrogen Ireland and France Hydrogène hosted a shared webinar during the summer titled ‘The Hydrogen Enigma? Investigating Demand, Strategy, and Perception’.
Overall, the hydrogen market has experienced a significant slowdown in momentum. More than 12.5 million tonnes of annual hydrogen capacity faces delays or cancellations, according to Hydrogen Ireland.
Some have pointed to weak demand signals, elevated costs, and regulatory uncertainty as key reasons for sluggish progress.
Hydrogen Ireland said the first wave of announcements since 2023 was driven by enthusiasm, and many of these were never destined for investment.
“The shift we’re seeing, from ambition to execution demands clearer policies, viable business models, and strategic alignment,” said Hydrogen Ireland in a post.
Just over 50 out of 1,700 projects announced since 2020 have been cancelled, representing 3% of the global pipeline, according to the Global Hydrogen Compass 2025.
Hydrogen Ireland argued that most of these were early-stage concepts, meanwhile, large-scale projects with strong resource backing and regulatory clarity seem to be advancing.
The International Energy Association (IEA) has predicted robust hydrogen expansion to 2030 despite a recent wave of project delays and cancellations.
Worldwide hydrogen demand increased to almost 100 million tonnes in 2024, up 2% from 2023 and in line with overall energy demand growth, according to the the 2025 edition of the IEA’s annual Global Hydrogen Review.
However, the vast majority of this was met by hydrogen produced from fossil fuels without measures in place to capture associated emissions. Sectors that have traditionally used hydrogen, such as oil refining and industry, remained the biggest consumers.
The report showed that it remains much cheaper to produce hydrogen from fossil fuels. The gap has widened lately due to recent declines in natural gas prices and an increase in the price of electrolysers due to inflation and slower-than-expected deployment of the technology.
However, there is a glimmer of hope for the use of hydrogen in a more sustainable practice as the IEA reported the cost gap narrowing by 2030 due to declining technology costs – and, in some regions, strong renewables growth and the enactment of new regulations.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
