Carmarthenshire Energy Agency has announced the launch of the Wales and Ireland Rural Hydrogen Energy Project (WIRHEP) to develop a state-of-the-art solution for producing hydrogen from sustainable natural resources.

The cross-border clean energy project is touted as having huge potential for rural diversification as it directly addresses the problem of hydrogen supply by establishing a blueprint for a Hydrogen Farm – a facility to produce hydrogen from the sun, wind or plants in a rural setting.

Partners in the project include the University of Glamorgan, FUW and Carmarthenshire County Council in Wales, and Waterford Energy Bureau in Ireland.

Guto Owen, manager of Carmarthenshire Energy Agency said: "Hydrogen is a clean, pollution-free form of energy which is emerging as a major player in combating climate change. It has been touted as the fuel of the future in replacing fossil fuels.

"Governments and companies around the world are investing heavily into research and development projects which can realise hydrogen's huge potential. As countries which share similar characteristics in terms of their natural rural environments. Wales and Ireland are ideally placed to take full advantage of this potential."

Platinum catalysts are used in devices designed to convert hydrogen fuel into power.

The £170,000 INTERREG IIIA project to develop Phase 1 of the Wales/Ireland partnership on hydrogen energy and develop a blueprint for the Hydrogen Farm (a hydrogen production facility from rural renewable energy sources) runs until March 2008.

Phase 2 will involve constructing a viable demonstration facility for hydrogen production with commercial spin-offs.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd