Bord Gáis Energy’s two new €250m gas-power plants will be capable of running on a natural gas and hydrogen mix, with the ability to convert to 100% hydrogen in the future, the company has said.

The move essentially futureproofs the company’s investment as many experts expect hydrogen to become a viable fuel source in the next 10-20 years.

When completed, the new plants will provide 200MW of flexible power generation which is enough power to keep 100,000 homes fully powered all year round. Because they are flexible, they can be easily switched on and off as needed.

Power plants

The power plants, located in Athlone and Dublin are expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

When asked by the Irish Farmers Journal, Bord Gáis did not comment on whether they intend on using Irish biomethane gas in the power plants. By 2030, 10% of Ireland’s natural gas supply must come from biomethane.

The announcement comes after Bord Gáis Energy owner Centrica dramatically increased its profit forecast for 2022. British-based Centrica is forecasting its full-year earnings for 2022 to increase almost eightfold compared to 2021.