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The funding supports projects at 10 higher educational institutions and six enterprises.
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), along with four funding partners, are awarding €21m to 37 new energy research projects.
SEAI’s National Energy Research, Development and Demonstration (RDD) funding programme aims to accelerate Ireland’s transition to cleaner energy by supporting and connecting research institutes, the energy industry and public sector bodies with policymakers in Ireland.
This year, the funding is amplified with support from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, which is co-funding a project on bat migration that aims to prevent potential negative impacts of offshore wind energy infrastructure on protected bat species.
While the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is co-funding two projects in bioenergy and bioeconomy, and the Geological Survey Ireland is co-funding a project on the geological storage potential of offshore Ireland. Moreover, the Marine Institute of Ireland is also supporting SEAI to fund this round of projects.
Awardees from this year’s cohort come from 10 higher educational institutions and six businesses. The projects vary in size, the SEAI said, with six small, 20 medium and eight large-scale projects, while the award also supports three academic fellowships.
Some successful projects include Trinity College Dublin’s Geodyn, which aims to improve knowledge on offshore wind turbine foundations through advanced testing and seabed soil modelling, while GlasPort Bio Limited will showcase how animal slurry can be used as a starting point for anaerobic digestion, demonstrating how it can be more widespread and cheaper.
The Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy Daragh O’Brien, TD, commented on the awards today (27 February) and said that research and innovation is vital for decarbonisation of Ireland’s energy system.
“The areas addressed by these projects support our vision for a climate-neutral, sustainable future for our citizens, businesses and communities.”
While Margie McCarthy, the director of research and policy insights at SEAI, added: “Informed research and evidence-based policy are essential for addressing the critical challenges of our time.
“The transition to clean energy is not just a technological necessity but also a foundation for the wellbeing of future generations. These innovations to combat climate change and drive meaningful progress contribute to SEAI’s mission to be at the forefront of delivering Ireland’s energy transition.”
Last year, the SEAI announced €20m in funding to support projects focusing on Ireland’s green transition. While in 2023, the RDD programme supported 40 energy research projects with a €19m total fund.
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