ESB and The Shannon Airport Group today (November 22) revealed they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the development of a “hydrogen lighthouse project.”

H2 View understands the two organisations will work on concept developments as part f the project, including high-level design, site identification, considerations of safety, the environment and planning, and local engagement.

It is hoped the project will demonstrate the use of hydrogen in hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy-duty transport, aviation, shipping and power generation, and act as a blueprint for future projects.

According to the partners, the project will include hydrogen refuelling and battery electric vehicle charging in a single location, seemingly aligning with the EU’s ambition to establish a hydrogen refuelling station every 100km along both the core and comprehensive Trans-European Transport Network by 2028.

Read more: European Parliament sends strong signal that clean hydrogen mobility is ‘viable solution to fossil fuels’

As part of the project, the partners will look to showcase the potential of ESB’s Green Atlantic @ Monkeypoint project in the Shannon Estuary.

Read more: ESB identifies hydrogen as an important vector for a clean energy transition in Ireland

Mary Considine, CEO of The Shannon Airport Group, said, “Innovation has always been at the heart of our business and this partnership with ESB to explore the potential for a hydrogen testbed in Shannon, aligns with our Sustainability Strategy goal to invest in smart and innovative infrastructure.

“Decarbonising the transport industry is vital, and hydrogen will likely play a key role in the harder to decarbonise sectors such as heavy goods transport and aviation.

Jim Dollard, Executive Director, Generation and Trading at ESB, commented, “We are proud to collaborate with The Shannon Airport Group on this hydrogen lighthouse project, marking another milestone in our hydrogen exploration plans and commitment to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2040.”