Debate contribution: Hydrogen Innovation Strategy

Debate contribution by Dr Caoimhe Archibald on 25 March 2025.

MLA

Dr Caoimhe Archibald

Party at the time

Sinn Féin

Date

25 March 2025

Type

Debate contribution (made as a minister)

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Hydrogen Innovation Strategy

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4866447

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-Leas-Cheann Comhairle.

I welcome the motion. I thank the signatories to it for tabling it and for the opportunity to discuss the development of green hydrogen. The North is well placed to be a leader in that space. We have world-class renewable energy resources, a strong and innovative manufacturing sector and a skilled workforce. Developing green hydrogen can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, strengthen our energy security and support the decarbonisation of power, heat and transport. We have an abundance of wind on this island, and my Department is working towards maximising that potential both onshore and offshore. Indeed, there is an oversupply of renewable energy at times, as Jonathan mentioned in his opening remarks. There is intermittency, and wind energy can be wasted. We can utilise that excess energy to produce hydrogen, which can be used by industry or stored for days when the wind does not blow and the sun does not shine. Therefore, green hydrogen must be viewed not in isolation but as part of a broader energy strategy. That is why my Department is working on a hydrogen policy that will identify and address the barriers in the production, transport, storage and use of hydrogen. We need an energy system that is affordable, secure and sustainable and that delivers for businesses, workers and households. That requires careful planning, ensuring that hydrogen is deployed where it adds the most value, rather than assuming that it is a one-size-fits-all solution. We are already seeing significant collaboration on hydrogen projects, from research to infrastructure development. In a first for the island of Ireland, the Energia Group installed a 1 megawatt electrolyser that is co-located with wind turbines at Long Mountain in County Antrim to produce green hydrogen. The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre (AMIC), which is a Queen's University-led consortium, is taking forward a project on hydrogen gas storage tanks. My Department provided £5 million capital to NI Water to spearhead an oxygen and hydrogen demonstrator project. That initiative is designed to showcase the benefits of using oxygen-enriched air in the treatment of waste water and in producing green hydrogen. Invest NI has also facilitated engagement with local businesses and the Hydrogen Innovation Initiative. My Department has made significant progress on the development of the skills that are necessary for the energy transition. Working with the green skills delivery group, we are finalising a green skills action plan. That aims to ensure that the skills ecosystem effectively meets the evolving needs of the green sector, develops career pathways and promotes opportunities in the sector. Since September 2021, 14 courses supporting 400 individuals to upskill and reskill in areas that include hydrogen energy systems, hydrogen fuel cell technology, hydrogen safety and hydrogen applications have been provided. Delivery is through our six further education colleges, Queen's University and Ulster University, with qualifications ranging from level 2 up to master's degrees. The courses have been the first of their kind offered across these islands. The motion refers to funding. There are already positive examples of local companies being successful. Mannok and Wrightbus have been successful in obtaining British Government funding through the net zero hydrogen fund, and I had the opportunity to visit Mannok recently to hear about its projects. Catagen has also been funded by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in London to help to develop a biohydrogen reactor. B9 Energy has been successful in obtaining £1·2 million in funding from the clean maritime demonstration competition to investigate the feasibility of a green shipping corridor between Larne and the north-west of England. My Department continues to collaborate with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero in London on issues that include the hydrogen allocation round funding to ensure that such schemes meet the needs of local business. I assure Mr Aiken that we are engaging with officials in DESNZ and GB Energy on the projects.

I thank the Member for his intervention. I am coming on to talk about the hydrogen policy that we will put out for consultation in the next number of weeks. That will give people an opportunity to feed in some of the barriers and challenges that are being faced and give us the potential to find solutions to those so that we can maximise the potential that we have in the hydrogen economy.

I support the ambition to develop our hydrogen economy. A strategic, evidence-based approach is required to integrate hydrogen into our broader energy system and ensure that the investment benefits our local businesses and communities.

Mr Honeyford mentioned a "vision" for the economy. It is clear that the potential of the hydrogen economy very much aligns with my vision for the economy and the four priorities of my Department, which are to create good jobs, improve productivity, decarbonise the economy and ensure regional balance. Companies across the North, particularly in Fermanagh and Dungannon, have already seized the opportunity.

I thank the Member for his intervention. He will be aware of the seven priority high-productivity sectors in our local economy that we have developed action plans for, which include the sector that deals with low-carbon technologies and the advanced manufacturing sector. We are rolling out our economic vision across all those sectors. Many of the Members who spoke in the debate talked about the opportunities. We are well placed to take advantage of those opportunities. We have some world-leading companies: Mr Gaston referred to one in Ballymena, but they are located across the North. In these islands, we are leaders in addressing the skills agenda on green hydrogen. My Department is developing a hydrogen policy that will be an important piece of the wider energy strategy and the transition to renewable energy.

957 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 12:07 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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