The green hydrogen sector is navigating a pivotal phase. After a surge of ambitious announcements, over 12.5 million tones of annual capacity now face delays or cancellations.
Some call it a “healthy correction,” others cite weak demand signals, elevated costs, and regulatory uncertainty. But this is not collapse. It’s convergence.
Since 2023, the first wave of announcements was driven by enthusiasm. Many were never destined for investment. The shift we’re seeing, from ambition to execution demands clearer policies, viable business models, and strategic alignment.
The Data Behind the Headlines
According to the Global Hydrogen Compass 2025 (Hydrogen Council & McKinsey), only 51 out of 1,700 projects announced since 2020 have been cancelled, just 3% of the global pipeline. Most were early-stage concepts. Meanwhile, large-scale projects with strong resource backing and regulatory clarity are advancing.
From Volume to Value: A Familiar Innovation Cycle
This recalibration echoes past transitions:
- Solar PV and wind energy volatility
- Lithium and rare earth boom-bust cycles
- The dot-com collapse that seeded today’s digital economy
- EV market scepticism turned global scale
In each case, correction led to convergence where ambition met reality and viable models emerged. Hydrogen is now entering that same phase.
“What we’re witnessing is a strategic refinement, where speculative ideas give way to grounded, investable projects with real staying power. It’s not collapse it’s the sector maturing.” Paul McCormack CEO Hydrogen Ireland.
Ireland’s Moment to Lead
Hydrogen Ireland sees this not as a setback, but a strategic inflection point. Despite headwinds, the trajectory remains upward. By 2026, momentum will return, driven by hydrogen’s role in decarbonizing heavy industry, maritime transport, and integrated energy systems.
To realize this potential, the sector must focus on three imperatives:
- Building cohesive, cross-border supply chains
- Driving down costs to competitive levels
- Securing long-term regulatory clarity
Ireland’s Integrated Approach
While speculative mega-projects elsewhere are being filtered out, Ireland’s system-integrated, policy-backed model is gaining traction.
The Irish National Hydrogen Strategy outlines a clear path:
- Decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors
- Enhancing energy security through indigenous renewables
- Creating industrial and export opportunities
Ireland’s vast offshore wind resources and commitment to green hydrogen position it as a future net exporter of clean energy. The strategy’s emphasis on dispatchable electricity, long-duration storage, and sector coupling reflects a mature understanding of hydrogen’s role—not as a standalone solution, but as connective tissue in a resilient energy system.
From Hype to Utility: Spotlight at WHTC2025
At WHTC2025, we’ll spotlight this shift, from hype to utility, from ambition to execution. Ireland’s opportunity lies not in chasing lowest-cost production alone, but in designing a fully integrated energy system.
The decisive factor? Systems coupling, aligning energy production with industrial demand, transport infrastructure, and agricultural innovation to create a circular energy economy.
Ireland 4.0: A New Industrial Evolution
This isn’t just about decarbonization. It’s about unlocking Ireland 4.0 a new industrial evolution powered by clean energy, digital intelligence, and cross-sector collaboration.
Ireland’s story is not just about resilience. It’s about relevance. It’s about choosing projects that serve communities, industries, and climate goals in equal measure. It’s about embedding hydrogen within the architecture of energy systems not as an isolated solution, but as a vital component of a balanced and interconnected energy future.
Conclusion: Ireland’s Hydrogen Moment Is Now
The global hydrogen market may be correcting, but Ireland is converging, aligning ambition with execution, policy with purpose, and innovation with impact. This is not the end of green hydrogen’s momentum. It’s the beginning of its maturity.
Ireland’s integrated approach, grounded in system coupling, offshore wind, and strategic clarity, offers a blueprint for how hydrogen can evolve from promise to pillar. As speculative projects fade, Ireland’s relevance rises not by chasing scale alone, but by designing systems that serve society, industry, and climate in equal measure.
Hydrogen Ireland stands ready to lead this next chapter. Not with hype, but with hard-won progress. Not with noise, but with narrative. Not with isolated solutions, but with interconnected systems.
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