Mr David Barnett, General Manager, Engineering, Translink, Mr David Butler Director, SGN Natural Gas will be the keynote speakers at the GenComm closing conference at Belfast Met’s E3 campus on May 31st, 2023.
The Interreg North West Europe funded Belfast Met led EU hydrogen project ran from 2017 and was instrumental in establishing 3 European GenComm Hydrogen Hub pilot plants producing hydrogen by solar, wind and biomass methods.
In the past 6 months alone the GenComm output ‘Hydrogen Ireland’ held its first annual conference in Dublin which Eamon Ryan, Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications (ROI) addressed. A second Hydrogen Ireland conference will be held this November this time in Belfast.
Also within the past 6 months the GenComm output the ‘Enabling Support Tool’ went live globally on January 31st 2023. This clean technology data analytics tool empowers stakeholders in making decisions regarding the optimum decarbonisation solutions for a bus fleet based on total cost of ownership, (TCO), total cost of carbon abatement (TCA) and the operational demand.
RELATED: Enabling Support Tool (EST) to help bus fleets decarbonise goes live online
GenComm Partners also published a report into the opportunities presented by hydrogen in Northern Ireland’s green energy transition. The report was funded by Northern Ireland’s Department for the Economy to contribute to the evidence base for the development of a new Energy strategy. In 2022 GenComm Partners contributed to the Matrix -Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel Foresight Study-Northern Ireland’s Future Hydrogen Demand and Capability report.
As a result of the work of GenComm the Northern Ireland Hydrogen Training Academy has become a reality with courses ranging from level 2 through to PGCE level, including a Train the Trainer course at level 5.
Chief Executive of Belfast Met Louise Warde Hunter stated: “The pioneering GenComm project has proved to be a key catalyst driving the clean hydrogen energy transition. Hydrogen is one of the clean energy solutions that will decarbonize Europe’s industry, transport, buildings, and energy sectors, demonstrated by the ambitious targets for production of hydrogen set by the European Green Deal and REPowerEU. Skills will be key in translating the policy ambitions into reality. Belfast Met is delivering the skills mechanisms, modules and mobility that will provide the foundations for a sustainable clean energy economy.”
RELATED: German support for Belfast Met led hydrogen project
Paul McCormack, GenComm co-ordinator, stated: “Our work is the foundation for the transition to net zero and has provided the tools for society to make informed decisions to replace fossil fuel use, and achieve the ambitious goal of becoming a climate neutral by 2050."
"The rapid development of the European Hydrogen Value Chain over the coming years is expected to generate approximately 1 million highly skilled jobs by 2030, and up to 5.4 million by 2050. GenComm has ensured that we are at the heart of this new clean economy.”
Source: Written from press release
