At the symposium “Connecting Sustainable Ways: Estonia and Galway” held at the University of Galway in Ireland, Priit Ilomets, Head of the Hydrogen Technology Unit at AS Metrosert and representative of Hydrogen Valley Estonia, presented Estonia’s electrochemistry heritage, the role of applied research, and the experience of building regional hydrogen valleys.
The purpose of the event was to strengthen research and development cooperation between Estonia and Ireland in sustainable energy technologies and to map out opportunities for developing regional hydrogen valleys.
The foundation of research and cooperation: Trust as the basis of an ecosystem
Both Estonia and Ireland are characterized by a strong natural and cultural heritage and the ability to preserve their identity and knowledge even under significant external pressure. The scientific and technological discussions of the symposium were framed by the 1988 documentary “A Tale of Two Visits,” which recalled a cultural exchange program between Estonian and Irish traditional musicians during the perestroika era.
Similar to that cultural bridge, the conference emphasized the critical role of trust in technology transfer and international R&D: no regional hydrogen valley or research ecosystem can function without deep trust between the parties involved.
Regional hydrogen valleys: From isolated pilot projects to an integrated economic model
The first panel discussion, “Hydrogen Valleys and Sustainability in Estonia and Galway,” analyzed strategies for moving from individual research and demo projects to comprehensive regional ecosystems.
The panel featured international experts:
- Priit Ilomets – AS Metrosert / Hydrogen Valley Estonia (+presentation of the BalticSeaH2 project)
- Rory Monaghan – SH2AMROCK (Ireland)
- Kyrre Sundseth – SINTEF / NORHyWAY Technical Coordinator (Norway)
- Gearóid FitzGerald – Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE) / Gas Networks Ireland
The discussion was moderated by Dr. Maria Vittoria Marra and Dr. Júlia T. M. Machado (University of Galway and HIVE Hydrogen).
Focus points of R&D in the hydrogen sector
The practical implementation of hydrogen valleys requires closely linking R&D with industrial needs. The panel mapped out three main focus areas:
- Connecting production, storage, transport, and end-use into a single functioning value chain and eliminating the largest bottlenecks in Estonia and Ireland.
- Synthesizing the experiences of various European initiatives (BalticSeaH2, SH2AMROCK, NORHyWAY, Hydrogen Valley Estonia) to make hydrogen projects economically and environmentally sustainable.
- Transferring scientific achievements and technologies from testbed environments into everyday economic activity, making a real impact on the energy consumption of businesses and regions.
Estonia’s electrochemistry tradition as a driver of a knowledge-based economy
During the discussion, Estonia’s long-standing and world-class tradition of electrochemistry was highlighted as the main strength of Estonian research. Built on this scientific foundation, a new generation of domestic deep-tech companies has emerged, developing globally competitive solutions in the field of electrolysers and fuel cells.