East Cork residents invited to engagement events for planned green hydrogen plant

A SERIES of community engagement events aiming to connect East Cork residents with the company behind the planned green hydrogen facility in Lower Aghada have been organised for the coming weeks.

The events will take place online with EIH2, Ireland’s first green hydrogen company, which announced plans for the new facility in May.

The series takes place over two nights and will address the planning and purpose of the plant using visual presentations. There will also be a focus on how communities like Aghada can play a part in helping to combat climate change.

At the end of the events, there will be an opportunity for residents to ask the company any questions they may have about the project.

The 50MW electrolysis plant will sit on the shores of Cork harbour and remove between 50,000 to 60,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually from Irish industry and power generation. EI-H2 Aghada hopes to be operational before the end of 2024. 

Upon completion, the site will be one of the first green energy facilities of its kind in the world. It will also create over 85 full-time direct and indirect jobs for the county.

Catherine Sheridan, EIH2’s chief operating officer and a local East Cork resident, encouraged anyone interested to attend the engagement events, which are taking place on December 8 and 9.

Ms Sheridan added that green hydrogen provided “an innovative solution” to the challenges that some renewable energy sources may pose.

“In combating climate change, time is not on our side and to minimise the impact of climate change we must decarbonise, and we must do it soon,” she said.

“As a country, our climate policy ambition is to reduce 51% of greenhouse-gas emissions by 2030 and we have a target of 70% renewable electricity (on average over the year) by the same year.

"However, electricity from wind is variable in production and we might face uncertain periods of electricity supply and its pricing. Green hydrogen is an innovative solution to this challenge.” 

The events will run from 7:30pm to 9pm each night. To attend email community@ei-h2.ie