Irish Firm Net Zero Energy Plans €2 Billion Rathrush Green Energy Park in Carlow

Irish firm Net Zero Energy (NZE) plans to develop the Rathrush Green Energy Park, a major long-duration energy storage plant near Tullow in County Carlow. The €2 billion project will use surplus renewable electricity from wind and solar farms to separate hydrogen from wastewater via hydrolysis. This hydrogen will be compressed and stored underground in lined rock caverns.

When electricity is needed, the stored hydrogen will fuel a gas turbine power plant on-site, generating 600 megawatts for 70 hours. This output can power 10% of Ireland’s peak electricity needs, equivalent to the combined demands of Carlow, Kilkenny, Laois, and Wexford. The facility is estimated to save 180,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, comparable to removing 40,000 cars from the road. It will create up to 1,500 construction jobs and 70 long-term skilled positions.

NZE chief executive Peter Harte highlighted the project's role in addressing Ireland's energy dilemma, ensuring supply security, and decarbonizing the grid by utilizing wasted energy. NZE chairman Tim Cowhig noted its capacity to meet 10% of Ireland’s peak energy requirement, providing secure, sustainable storage and reducing reliance on €10 billion in annual fossil fuel imports. A planning application is expected by year-end.