First wind farm in UK and Ireland to produce renewable hydrogen

Energia Group has begun producing renewable hydrogen from wind energy at our Long Mountain Wind Farm in County Antrim.

Wind energy is converted into hydrogen using an 1 MW electrolyser. The hydrogen is compressed on site and transported to Belfast, where it is used to power double-decker fuel cell buses, which produce zero emissions - just water.

The Long Mountain pilot project was part-funded by Interreg North West Europe as part of GenComm, an EU programme generating energy secure communities through smart renewable hydrogen. 

Find out more about GenComm here.

Maximising wind energy around the clock

When wind energy supply exceeds demand on the electricity grid, the System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI) asks wind farms to curtail — or shut down — renewable electricity generation because there isn’t enough demand from consumers.  

Now our turbines at the Long Mountain Wind Farm can continue to spin so that the renewable energy they produce is converted into green hydrogen, using an electrolyser.  

This process, known as electrolysis, uses electricity to split water, which is sourced from an on-site borehole, into hydrogen and oxygen. 

Positive energy for zero-emission transport

Hydrogen is compressed on the Long Mountain site and transported to Belfast, where Energia Group owns and operates the first Hydrogen Refuelling Station (HRS) on the island of Ireland at Translink’s Milewater bus service station.  

In 2020, Energia Group signed a deal with Translink to supply green hydrogen to power three hydrogen fuel cell double-decker buses, manufactured by Wrightbus in Ballymena. 

The overall capital investment for the project represented around £4 million with funding support from the Office of Zero Emissions (OZEV) and the Northern Ireland Department of Infrastructure.

Read our media release here.

Green hydrogen FAQs

We’ve created an information leaflet for visitors to Long Mountain Wind Farm, explaining how green hydrogen is produced through wind energy and electrolysis. 

You can view or download the leaflet here.

GenComm hydrogen project wins 2023 Energy Globe Award  

Energia’s Hydrogen Asset Manager, Andrew Morrison, and our renewable hydrogen team have been awarded an international Energy Globe from Advantage Austria as part of the wider GenComm green hydrogen project. The award was accepted on behalf of GenComm by the lead Northern Ireland partner, Belfast Metropolitan College.  

GenComm’s Energy Globe Award recognises the importance of its Hydrogen Mobility Enabling Support Tool, which will promote the decarbonisation of public transport using data collected from Energia Group's Hydrogen Refuelling Station, Translink's hydrogen fuel cell buses and our Long Mountain Wind Farm 1MW electrolyser. 

Next steps

Energia has been granted planning consent for a second renewable hydrogen production compound with a 4 MW electrolyser on Rathsherry Wind Farm, near Broughshane in County Antrim.

The proposed development will be located beside the existing Rathsherry substation with access via the wind farm main entrance.

We are at an early stage of development and will ensure residents are kept updated and informed before any construction work takes place on site.

Energia supports zero-emission ferry plans

Energia Group is helping to transform the maritime transport sector as part of the Belfast Maritime Consortium, led by Artemis Technologies, which is developing a zero-emission electric hydrofoil vessel including a ferry. We are proud to be the green energy supplier for the project, supporting the installation of the electric hydrofoil charging infrastructure and the development of Artemis’ novel Hydrogen Hybrid Range Extender system.  

We believe renewable hydrogen will play a key role in the decarbonisation of maritime transport, with zero-carbon hydrogen fuel cells providing greater range for the electric hydrofoil ferry. These projects will boost Northern Ireland’s growing expertise in zero-emission transport, fuelled by renewable hydrogen.

NI Green Seas study and renewable hydrogen

As part of Energia Group, Power NI was delighted to lead the Northern Ireland Green Seas partnership and feasibility study, which will help facilitate the introduction of zero-emission maritime transport by designing solutions for the onshore energy infrastructure required in ports.

With the support of our partners, Innovate UK and the Department of Transport, the NI Green Seas feasibility study focusses on Belfast Harbour, Bangor Marina and Rathlin Island to determine a decarbonisation strategy, focussing on green hydrogen and battery storage. 

This project will help to put Northern Ireland back at the forefront of the shipping industry.

Watch our video to find out more.