On the 22nd of July 2021, Martina Anderson, Sinn Féin MLA, visited Kinnegar along with Christopher Jackson, Deputy Mayor of Derry and Strabane council, and Paul Flemming, Councilor of Derry and Strabane.
Welcoming them to the site on behalf of NI Water was Damien O’Mullan, Head of Energy at NI Water and Lilian Parks of NI water.
Also in attendance were Neil McKenzie, Director of LaganMEICA and Kieran Doherty, Commissioning Manager at Lagan MEICA also representing the Northwest Hydrogen Group.
Martina was particularly interested if this technology could assist in increasing the headroom at Culmore Waste Water Treatment Works in Derry, so that planning permission could be granted for an additional 4,000 homes in Skeogh.
The technology being piloted at Kinnegar, if successful and scaled up, could have huge potential for the Culmore Wastewater Treatment Works. This would simultaneously produce high quality oxygen helping to resolve sewerage capacity issues in the treatment works, as well as producing hydrogen gas which could be used as a green energy. This technology could also better utilise the renewable energy generated by wind turbines and solar panels which would otherwise be wasted at times of low demand. These innovations open the door to the green hydrogen industry, which is already establishing itself as part of our future- indeed Translink have already launched 23 new Hydrogen fuel cell buses. Due to our unique geographical placement, Derry and the wider north west has the potential to become a leading producer of green hydrogen energy. I will continue to work and draw together key stakeholders to ensure that we build on this economic opportunity. (Derry Daily, 2021)Martina Anderson, Sinn Féin MLA