In response to today's Action Plan announcement CPA president Gail McEvoy said that it was "important to recognise that Government cannot create jobs".

“ ... Government can only ever create an environment in which individuals have the confidence and the support necessary to commercialise ideas and start new businesses. Measures announced today will go some way towards that but we would welcome a formalised plan to encourage our young people to be the job creators of the future," explained McEvoy.

Ireland's young population and enterpreneurship

She touched on how 41pc of Ireland's population is under the age of 25. "What I don't see clearly addressed in this strategy is how the Government plans to position entrepreneurship as a viable career path for young people. Today's announcement is great progress, and the cross-departmental co-operation is to be applauded, however I would like to see it go one step further.

"I am calling for a working a party, led by Minister Bruton's Department to develop a National Entrepreneurship Strategy, which would align social, enterprise, industrial, taxation and educational policy in order to create and sustain an environment and culture which would be conducive to entrepreneurship," she explained.

Dissolving CEBs

McEvoy did welcome the Government's measure to dissolve County and City Enterprise Boards and instead create a new Micro-Enterprise and Small Business Unit in Enterprise Ireland.

"One of the recommendations in the CPA Entrepreneur Report 2010 was to examine the use of the City and County Enterprise Board network as the high street presence for a national enterprise support one-stop-shop up to and including absorption into Enterprise Ireland. I welcome moves announced today regarding the development of more streamlined support for business. I also welcome the broadening of Enterprise Ireland remit to support all individuals engaged in job creation activity and not only those engaged in manufacturing or exported enterprises," she said.

Micro-finance loan fund

Today's Action Plan also includes reference to a micro-finance loan fund of €100m over 10 years for start-ups and small businesses. The plan also includes a temporary partial loan guarantee scheme for businesses turned down for loans from their bank.

"These measures will prove to be a lifeline to many viable small businesses around the country, but only if administered in a timely and comprehensive fashion. Lack of credit is impacting cash flow, growth opportunities and ultimately jobs. Funds need to be allocated as a matter of urgency," said McEvoy.

Ireland's Action Plan for Jobs

 
The Government revealed today that:

• Business leaders, multinationals and large Irish companies will carry out increased mentoring of SMEs.
• In terms of Ireland's vast diaspora around the world, direct incentives will be provided to them to create jobs in Ireland.
• A Research Prioritisation Plan will be implemented to enact new laws aimed at the State's €500m annual research budget. The aim is to achieve more applied research, which has potential for commercialisation and job creation.

Key sectors

The Government is also targeting key sectors it sees as fuelling job creation and economic growth. Take cloud computing. There will be Cloud Computing Strategy for the Public Service and a research centre in cloud computing.

In terms of Ireland's digital games sector, the Government is set up a cluster development team around this industry. The Government is also establishing other industry clusters for targeted sectors. For example, it will be setting up a Manufacturing Development Forum.

Health tech is also a focus area. The Government will be pioneering a Health Innovation Hub to drive collaboration between the heath system and the life-sciences industry.

"The ultimate goal and top priority of Government has always been to get Ireland back to work," said Taoiseach Enda Kenny today.

The 2010 earthquake itself measured 7.2 on the moment magnitude scale and supposedly lasted for about a minute and a half. It started 26 kilometres south of Guadalupe Victoria, Baja, California, in Mexico.

The geologists have used data from the earthquake and their findings have recently been published in Science. The team comprised scientists from the US, Mexico and China, including geophysicist Eric Fielding of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), which is based in Pasadena, California.

Michael Oskin, geology professor at the University of California, Davis, was the lead author of the study, which was funded by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Geological Survey, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (Mexico) and NASA.

Oskin said the researchers were able to make a detailed scan after the earthquake over about 363 sq kilometres in less than three days.

Fault zones and earthquakes

The scientists believe they have reported the most comprehensive before-and-after picture yet of an earthquake zone.

Fielding said the study provides new information on how rocks in and around fault zones are deformed during earthquakes.

"It helps scientists understand past events and assess the likelihood of future earthquakes in other complex systems of faults," he said.

Light detection and ranging

So how did they carry out the 3D mapping? The team of geologists worked with the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping. They flew over the earthquake area near Mexicali with lidar (light detection and ranging). Such technology works by bouncing laser pulses off the ground and measures their reflection to determine the height of the surface.

NASA said today that new airborne lidar equipment can measure features in the surface height to within a few inches.

It was back in 2006 that the Mexican government mapped the area with lidar. When the earthquake occurred in 2010, Oskin and Ramon Arrowsmith at Arizona State University applied for and received funding from the National Science Foundation to carry out an immediate aerial survey of the previously mapped area.

By comparing pre- and post-earthquake surveys, the team said they could see exactly where the ground moved and by how much.

_{This 1.5 meter-high surface rupture, called a scarp, formed in just seconds along the Borrego fault during the magnitude 7.2 El Mayor Cucapah earthquake in northern Baja, California, on 4 April 2010. NASA says topographic surveys of the surrounding landscape reveal the complexity of earthquake deformation, including how this fault interacted with adjacent faults. Image by Centro de Investigacion Cientifica y de Educacion Superior de Ensenada (CICESE)}

Out of the blue

The 2010, the Mexicali earthquake did not occur on a major fault, like the San Andreas, but ran through a series of smaller faults in the Earth's crust, they said.

"This sort of earthquake happens out of the blue," explained Oskin.

He pointed to how the new lidar survey shows how seven of these small faults came together to cause a major earthquake.

NASA vehicles

NASA's JPL has been flying its airborne uninhabited aerial vehicle synthetic aperture radar (UAVSAR) over the California border region to measure ground deformation in the area since 2009. UAVSAR, which flies on a NASA Gulfstream III aircraft, uses a different technique – interferometric synthetic aperture radar – to measure ground deformation over large areas, according to the space agency.

Apparently, UAVSAR flew repeat GPS-guided passes over the California side of the border region twice in 2009 and six times since the Baja quake, imaging it and its continuing deformation since.

Fielding said NASA recently secured approvals from the Mexican government and began flying UAVSAR south of the California border over the Baja, California, earthquake zone in February 2012.

He said these flights will be conducted every three months to monitor fault movements.

The measures include dissolving County and City Enterprise Boards and instead creating a new Micro-Enterprise and Small Business Unit in Enterprise Ireland. This will work with local authorities to establish a new network of local enterprise offices in each local authority.

The plan says a new range of supports will be implemented for small and medium-sized businesses struggling to access credit, such as a €150m Development Capital Scheme aimed at mid-sized, high-growth indigenous companies with prospects for jobs and export growth.

A new Potential Exporters Division will be established in Enterprise Ireland to better support indigenous exporters. Up to €1.2m in extra funding per year will also be supplied for mentoring and management development networks.

There will be increased mentoring of SMEs by business leaders, multinationals and large Irish companies. The Government will also assist small businesses to engage in R&D and to win big contracts from the Government and large multinationals.

Direct incentives will be provided to members of the diaspora and others across the world to create jobs in Ireland.

The Government will implement a Research Prioritisation Plan and enact new laws aimed at the State’s €500m annual research budget towards more applied areas of research which has potential for commercialisation and job creation.

It will reduce costs, such as a request to Government department and agencies to identify charges levied on businesses that can be frozen or reduced for 24 months.

Sectors of growth

The Government will also target numerous sectors it believes will be major sources of job creation and economic growth.

A Cloud Computing Strategy for the Public Service will be created and a research centre in cloud computing will be established to boost this sector in the IT industry.

It will establish a cluster development team for digital games and will establish other industry clusters for targeted sectors.

A Manufacturing Development Forum will be established for the manufacturing sector and a Health Innovation Hub will be created to drive collaboration between the heath system and the life-sciences industry.

A Cross-Departmental Plan will be published and implemented for the green economy and the Government aims to win more investment from multinational food companies for the agri-food sector.

“The ultimate goal and top priority of Government has always been to get Ireland back to work,” said Taoiseach Enda Kenny.

“It is the all-consuming obsession of every cabinet minister at a time when we have never seen more people unemployed. Economic recovery has to be matched by a jobs recovery.  

“When the Government was first formed, we were presented with a series of urgent challenges that demanded immediate attention to stabilise the economy and restore a degree of confidence in Ireland. This was necessary for new investment and job growth.  

“Now we must do more. This is why Government has put together this Action Plan for Jobs. We will target specific sectors with new policy supports and improve the way Government interacts with businesses by cutting costs and red tape. I will ensure that Government works hard to deliver on this ambitious plan,” Kenny said.

During the VV01 mission, a large amount of data was collected on Vega's performance, as well as the environment experienced by the payloads.

Its reference mission is 1,500 kg into a 700 km-high circular sun-synchronous orbit. Vega's light launch capacity can accommodate a range of satellites - from 300 kg to 2500 kg - into a variety of orbits, ranging from equatorial to sun-synchronous.

The ESA said this morning that Vega will add to Europe's set of launch services next to the existing Ariane 5 heavy lifter and the Soyuz medium-class launcher.

Operating from French Guiana, the ESA said the three launchers will improve the efficiency of Europe's launch infrastructure, as they can share its operating costs over many launches.  
 
The ESA said the Vega programme will now enter a new phase, called VERTA: the Vega Research, Technology and Accompaniment programme.

The next flight is scheduled for early 2013, when the Vega will carry ESA's Proba-V remote sensing satellite and multiple auxiliary payloads.

Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA director-general, said this morning that today's launch was a great day for ESA, its member states, and especially for Italy, where Vega was born.

“In a little more than three months, Europe has increased the number of launchers it operates from one to three, widening significantly the range of launch services offered by the European operator Arianespace. There is not anymore one single European satellite which cannot be launched by a European launcher service," said ESA head Dordain this morning.

Antonio Fabrizi, ESA's director of Launchers, spoke about how, in less than a decade, the Vega project became a reality.

He said the ESA had the technical support of the Italian and French space agencies, plus about 40 industrial companies co-ordinated by the prime contractor ELV SpA.

Vega launcher development started in 2003. Seven member states contributed to the programme - Belgium, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

European effort 

“Today is a moment of pride for Europe, as well as those around 1,000 individuals who have been involved in developing the world's most modern and competitive launcher system for small satellites," said Fabrizi.

Arianespace, its commercial operator, has already signed the first commercial contract for Vega. The ESA has confirmed more contracts are being negotiated.

After an open competition, Arianespace was awarded the contract in December to launch the Sentinel-2B and Sentinel-3B satellites on the Vega launcher. This launch will be part of ESA's Global Monitoring for Environment and Security programme.

Once a fortnight during Edible, Science Gallery will have a rotating guest list of designers, chefs and artists who will host dinners for the public. The aim is to explore the relationship between food and geographical location.

But the most striking thing about the exhibit is the huge inflatable stomach resembling a bouncy castle that greets you at the start of the exhibit. Kids are sure to love this particular exhibit as they can take off their shoes and explore how the digestive system functions! Known as the 'Gas Bag' this exhibit was created by Andy Best and Merja Puustinen from Finland. The three-metre high inflatable stomach will actually sonically respond to your movements, as you explore its insides. Once inside the digestive system sculpture, you can throw soft items symbolising pills, bacteria and acid at each other to induce more digestive systems gurgles.

There's also a captivating wall exhibit that explores the world community of eaters. It takes Ireland's 4.5m eaters and looks at how we fit in terms of world consumption of particular foods, in comparison with other countries and continents. The food mural also looks at obesity.

_{Pictured at the launch of Edible at the Science Gallery is Julian Abraham with his exhibit Kapitan Biopunk: Fermentation Madness. Photo by Patrick Bolger Photography}
 
An exhibit that I found enthralling was all about fermentation. The exhibit, Kapitan Biopunk: Fermentation Madness was the genesis of Julian Abraham from Indonesia. Inspired by how Indonesia raise its excise duty in 2010 Abraham set about exploring the rapid increase in people brewing their own alcohol at home.

The sound installation features many larges containers fermenting different coloured liquids, from apple juice to pineapple juice.  The public can actually listen live to the fermentation process, as yeast transforms sugar into ethanol and CO2. Abraham wishes to communicate via the installation the dangers people in Indonesia are sometimes putting themselves under by fermenting their own alcohol. Sometimes the process can go wrong, resulting in methanol being created rather than ethanol. In Indonesia there have been many reported fatalities as a result of home brewing.

Another interesting exhibit was Le Whaf, the brainchild of Franco-American scientist and creator David Edwards and French designer Marc Bretillot. A large see-through cauldron transforms liquids into vapours, creating a different taste sensation when the cloud of flavour wafts into the air and settles in the glass. You can sip the cloud vapour via a type of pipette-like straw. Pioneered at Le laboratoire, a public art and design centre in Paris, the Le Whaf cauldron is due to be commercialised soon.

_{Diners checking out the Supper Club culinary experience at Edible}

There's plenty to whet your senses at Edibles in Science Gallery, which is based on the Trinity College Dublin campus, over the next two months, from the Insects au Gratin, which explores the ingestion of insects, to the Disaster Pharming exhibit, developed by The Center for Genomic Gastronomy. An exhibition definitely worth checking out!

The Model X SUV will be the third all-electric vehicle type to be spawned by the Palo Alto, California, company.

Set up in 2003, so far Tesla has pioneered the all-electric Roadster (pictured), which hit the streets in 2008. Now there's 1,800 Roadsters whizzing around in 32 countries. In 2008, the first Roadster arrived in Ireland after it was purchased by a couple in Co Cork.

The Model S, Tesla's foray into the all-electric premium sedan marketplace, will start deliveries in mid-2012. Musk is aiming to deliver 20,000 of its Model S sedan by the end of 2013. Last year, Tesla said the car would have a base price of US$49,900, which would include a US$7,500 federal tax credit.



_{Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who is also venturing into space via his company SpaceX}

Tesla also announced it is revamping the Roadster with new innovations. However, the updated Roadster will only be available in Europe, Asia and Australia. For those in a position to fork out for the latest Roaster, you'll now be able to choose from some new colours, including cosmic black, galactic gray and magma orange. The updated Roadster will also feature Xenon headlamps, which Tesla said will make the car more suited for night driving in rural areas.

Tesla went public in 2010. The company has yet to make a profit, however.

In the summer of 2011, Tesla signed a US$100m deal to build the powertrain for Toyota's electric Rav4, which Toyota plans to bring to market in 2012. In 2010, Toyota made a US$50m investment in Tesla.

Now in their second year, the Irish CREST Awards are organised by The Galway Education Centre in association with The British Science Association. Their aim is to reward students who demonstrate creativity and the ability to tackle issues in the STEM subjects. The CREST committee said this year's standard of submissions was so high that independent adjudicators decided to award four gold CREST awards.

Students' projects ranged from water-saving devices and food safety gadgets through to smartphone apps.

Here's a sampling of some of the recipients. Students from Citywise Education in Jobstown, Tallaght, Co Dublin, won a bronze award for their project 'The Dangers of Chicken'. Students from Castletroy College in Co Limerick also won a bronze award for their project, 'The Fridge of the Future'. Students from Coláiste na Coiribe in Galway won a silver award for their project, named 'Legolicious'.

And the gold award-winning projects, all hailing from a single team who study St Gerald's College in Castlebar, Co Mayo, centred on four projects: 'To Design and Build a Water Saving Shower'; 'Weather Dependant Underground Drip-Feed Irrigation System'; 'An Investigation into Smart Drip Irrigation Systems'; and 'iCollapse, a mobile phone application for assisting those liable to collapse'.

The iCollapse project already gleaned awards at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition in January of this year.



_{Students from Coláiste Croí Mhuire in Spiddal, Co Galway, after winning a silver award for their project entitled 'Investigation of the Food Journey of the Brown Crab'}

Relying on students to invent solutions for societal challenges

Yesterday, Geoghegan-Quinn spoke about how now, more than ever, Europe needs "excellent young scientists" with solid educational backgrounds coupled with the intellectual curiosity to spur them to become "world-class researchers and innovators".

"We will be relying on these young people to discover and invent the solutions to society's enormous challenges that we so urgently need," said Geoghegan-Quinn.

Katherine Mathieson, education officer, The British Science Association, spoke about the "impressive" quality of the entries from
from primary and secondary schools across Ireland.

"These students join the 30,000 UK students who gain a CREST award every year on average, setting them on the road to be the scientists, technologists and engineers of the future," she said.

SESAR was founded by the European Commission and by Eurocontrol. It is aiming to pioneer technological answers to the major challenges of European air traffic growth. Fifteen companies are members of the SJU: AENA, Airbus, Alenia Aeronautica, the DFS, the DSNA, ENAV, Frequentis, Honeywell, Indra, NATMIG, NATS (En Route), NORACON, SEAC, SELEX Sistemi Integrati and Thales.

So what's a 4D flight? It's a four-dimensional trajectory concept, or 4D, meaning a three-dimensional trajectory plus time. SESAR said that during this morning's Airbus A320 flight, the trajectory information containing current and predicted positions were exchanged with the relevant air navigation service providers and airports.

It said after the landing that the test flight has successfully validated the capability of the aircraft system to comply with time constraints that were negotiated with ground ATC system through air ground datalink communication.

"With this first I-4D trial flight under operational conditions, the SESAR members have proven that by working together in the framework of the SESAR programme real changes in the ATM domain are being brought about. Not only the aviation industry will benefit from optimised flights but society as a whole," said Patrick Ky, executive director of the SESAR Joint Undertaking.

Today's 4D flight path over Europe's skies

The flight trajectory started off from Toulouse, with the test aircraft flying through the Eurocontrol Maastricht Upper Area Control Centre (MUAC) airspace where the airborne and ground systems agreed on a first time constraint at a merging point close to Copenhagen Airport.

The flight then continued into Danish airspace to demonstrate an optimised descent to Copenhagen. After reaching the first merging point, the aircraft climbed to a cruise level from which it negotiated a second time constraint at a merging point close to Stockholm Arlanda Airport. The flight then descended into Swedish airspace to the second merging point and landed at Arlanda.

The jobs announcement was one of a major raft of job creations announced this afternoon by IDA Ireland, including 325 at Abbot Laboratories in Sligo which is expanding its manufacturing facility and 30 new software engineering jobs at Big Fish Games in Cork.

The new roles will be ranged across a variety of projects where the new worker will build, test and deploy large scale systems using the latest and emerging technologies such as cloud-based infrastructures and multiple delivery channels such as mobile, video and social media.

HP Ireland managing director Martin Murphy explained that HP's operations in Kildare and Galway are considered centres of excellence within HP and Irish engineers are at the forefront of developing cutting edge technologies for the needs of HP customers in the US, Europe, China, India and Asia.
The new recruits, he explained will join teams developing these technologies.

Key factors in winning the investment, he explained were an improvement in Irish competitiveness and the crucial support of IDA Ireland.

“Ultimately the reason why we were successful in bringing these jobs to Ireland is because the teams in Ireland have a proven track-record of delivering quality. They have strong credentials in terms of delivering on projects.

“In addition we have been able to find the skills we were looking for to fill our previous announcements."

Murphy said that HP's Irish operations are cultivating a strong position as one of the core R&D centres for R&D. The Galway operation, for example, is a major cloud centre for HP.

HP generates 1,000 new jobs in last three years

In the last three years, despite the recession, HP in Ireland has been successful in attracting more than 1,000 new jobs to the country. The creation of the Global Services Desk in March 2009 generated 500 jobs, and the expansion of the company's Galway operation in 2010, with the creation of 50 jobs. In addition, the company announced 120 jobs at its Dublin operations in September 2010 and 105 jobs at its Galway operations in December 2010, which were followed by a further 50 new jobs.

"This is great news for Galway, Leixlip and Ireland, with the announcement of 150 high-end R&D jobs as well as approximately 130 related jobs in this world-leading company," the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, TD said.

"In the coming weeks the Government's Action Plan for Jobs will build on announcements like this to deepen the impact of multinational investment here, and target sectors like ICT where we have built substantial strengths in recent years. By setting ambitious targets and implementing reforms across the economy we can achieve the growth and jobs we so badly need," Minister Bruton added.

Barry O'Leary, CEO of IDA Ireland said that HP and IDA Ireland have enjoyed a long and successful business relationship and HP's decision to locate this R&D expansion in Ireland further solidifies the company's integral position in Ireland's  ICT portfolio.

‘'R&D investment is recognised by IDA as playing a key role in Ireland's return to economic growth; embedding existing employment and paving the way for further job growth in the future.

“HP's decision to locate up to 280 new jobs in Ireland over the next three years, 150 of which are supported by IDA Ireland, is most welcome news. I wish HP every success with this operation and offer the company the continued support of IDA Ireland as it continues to grow here.''

The HP recruitment drive will commence immediately.

The company plans to expand its cloud gaming research initiative, meaning it will recruit 30 software engineers for its Cork-based RD&I centre.

“Much like Netflix changed the way we view movies today, allowing film entertainment to be accessed on over 800 devices, Big Fish’s cloud gaming service will transform the marketplace for premium casual entertainment by bringing our millions of mainstream customers that much closer to the thousands of wonderful games created by our in-house studios and game development partners,” said Jeremy Lewis, Big Fish Games’ CEO.

“As the trusted leader in premium casual entertainment, Big Fish will be delighting consumers anywhere, anytime, on the platform of their choice," he said.

The games company, which has more than 2,500 titles and 1.5bn downloads, will also be a major contributor to the Games Ireland Gathering, where company representatives will discuss its upcoming opportunities and technologies.

The growth of cloud computing and gaming

“As part of the Government’s plan to address the employment crisis, we are determined to build on the sectors of strength we have built up over recent years, as well as selecting new sectors where Ireland can become a world leader,” said Richard Bruton, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

“Over the past 20 years, we have build up a base of multinational companies in the IT sector which is the envy of many other countries; however, now we must target those areas where the growth of the future is going to spring, such as cloud computing and digital gaming,” he said.

The development is being supported by IDA Ireland. Barry O’Leary, CEO of IDA Ireland, said he was "delighted" that Big Fish Games had chosen Ireland as the location in which it will conduct this research.

“Ireland’s competencies in areas such as cloud computing and software engineering, together with its vibrant digital media portfolio, make it a perfect fit with innovative companies in this space,” said O’Leary.

“There are now more than 1,500 people employed in the computer games industry in Ireland, and today’s announcement reinforces Ireland’s reputation as a leading location for digital media companies. 

“Furthermore, the investment establishes Cork as a leading RD&I Centre of Excellence in cloud computing,” he said.

“In seeking to identify how best to bring about greater competitive advantage and a rise in employment, exports and growth, science has increasingly become a focal point. In my role within the EU Commission, I can see the compelling impact that research and its commercialisation can have and is having beyond the parameters of science. Science, therefore, forms and informs our path to economic recovery," she said.

As regards Horizon 2020, the European Commission's proposal for an €80bn EU funding programme to secure Europe's competitiveness through research and innovation for the period 2014 to 2020, Geoghegan-Quinn also spoke about Ireland's scientific research agenda and how it must adapt.

“With Ireland remaining on course to reach its target of over €600m funding from the existing EU 7th Framework Programme, the scientific community here must ensure that it adapts and responds to the evolving research agenda as set out in Horizon 2020."

_{Ireland's Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Richard Bruton, TD, with St Patrick's Festival performers Rachel Lally, Vijaya Bateson and Grace Kelly at the official launch of Dublin City of Science 2012 on 26 January. In 2012, there will be more than 160 science-related events happening all over Ireland throughout the year. The highlight will be ESOF 2012 in July, when the world's scientific community will be descending upon Dublin. In addition, ESOF will host the Europe - US Symposium on the Atlantic Ocean as a shared resource}

Dublin City of Science 2012

As Dublin is European City of Science this year, hosting the Euroscience Open Forum (ESOF2012) in July, Geoghegan-Quinn also pointed to how "science has perhaps never been so prominently placed in this country".

Along with ESOF 2012, Ireland is set to take over the presidency of the European Council in January 2013, so she said this "could not come at a better time, when research and innovation are among the building blocks for economic recovery and growth".

Ireland's scientific research climate

Prof Pat Fottrell, SFI chairperson, also spoke about Horizon 2020 today and the aim to position Ireland as a global influencer in the scientific research arena.

“SFI welcomes the opportunities provided by Horizon 2020 and will be working with Ireland's research community to identify the opportunities to ensure that the available funding will allow for continued research, innovation and economic benefit. SFI-supported researchers have been successful in leveraging further support and investment from Europe," said Fottrell.

Here's a sampling of some innovative SFI-supported researchers who are leading EU research projects. The Digital Enterprise Research Institute (DERI) at NUI Galway is leading a multimillion European project on improving citizens' access to EU policy. Via the Puzzled by Policy project, the researchers are using new web technologies with the aim of supporting democracy and making governments more cost effective and transparent.

Meanwhile, Prof Dan Bradley from the School of Genetics and Microbiology at Trinity College Dublin also recently received a European Research Council (ERC) advanced grant to enable him to continue his research into ancient DNA of domestic animals from archaeological samples. The 'Codex' project, 'Decoding domesticate DNA in archaeological bone and manuscripts', is using leading-edge genetic tools to build up a 'DNA data matrix' of domestic animals over the past 10,000 years.

Bradley believes the matrix could help identify key genetic changes that accompany domestication and subsequent animal management strategies. He also asserts that the research work should also give insights that could be of benefit to the farming sector, as well as disease control and animal productivity.

Forests and carbon footprint

As regards forests and the race to reduce the planet's carbon footprint, UN statistics have revealed that 20pc of the world's carbon emissions come from forests.

The UN's REDD programme, which has been set up to help keep the developing world's forests intact, is estimated to be valued at US$50bn over the next few years.

Paul Harris, member of the Green IFSC Steering Group, pointed to how the new provision in Irish tax legislation will serve to help the UN reach its targets as he said it would assist investors operating through the UN programme in the monetisation of forest carbon credits.

"The change is an important contribution to the emergence of the forest carbon bond market as it provides, for the first time, a cost-efficient structure for the monetisation of forest carbon credits which should prompt issuers and investors to engage with this element of the developing global low carbon economy," explained Harris.

Dublin's potential to be a hub for green financial business to transact

He said that the changes should also help entice the financial markets to look "favourably" upon Dublin's credentials as a location for listing of green and environmental bonds. According to Harris, the Bill changes around clean tech also reflect the commitment and expertise of the various Green IFSC working groups who understand the regulatory changes that are needed to make Ireland a pivotal location for green financial business to transact.

_{A 3D photo scanner pioneered by Irish company Treemetrics. The scanner helps foresters determine width, height, volume of trees, as well as wood quality}

Irish clean-tech player Treemetrics

One Irish start-up that has been steadily channeling its energies in the forestry clean-tech space is Cork-based Treemetrics. The company was co-founded by agricultural science graduates Enda Keane and Garret Mullooly back in 2005. It is aiming to revolutionise the forestry industry via its cloud-based platform that also harnesses Google Earth. Keane and Mullooly say the aim is to bring foresters around the globe into the digital century using cloud computing.

An Enterprise Ireland HPSU, Treemetrics is fast making waves in the forestry industry. Recently, the company secured contracts with some of the planet's most prominent state forest owners, including the British Forestry Commission, Forestry South Australia and the state forest owner in Finland - Metsahallitus.

Treemetrics is also seeking to double its workforce to 20 this year.

Speaking about the changes to yesterday's Bill around forests, Treemetrics CEO Enda Keane said that this new tax change would give the company, as well as Ireland, a competitive advantage.

"If we can get our forests back on track and run more efficiently that would obviously go a long way to reducing the world's carbon footprint. Anything which validates forest carbon and helps encourage growth in investing in forests is very welcome," said Keane.

He said that the real benefit of such a move as that in the Finance Bill would be seen in the years to come, especially as Ireland had one of the lowest forestation levels in the world - up from 1pc at the foundation of the State in 1922 to 10pc today. Keane said it meant Ireland is in an ideal neutral position to be seen as a world authority in carbon validation and trading in the sector to help tackle deforestation globally.

Just last week, Taoiseach Enda Kenny visited Treemetric's facility down in Cork when it was announced that serial games entrepreneur and tech investor Dylan Collins had become chairman of Treemetrics. Collins is currently also start-up ambassador for Enterprise Ireland.

Ireland's green economy push

But back to the Finance Bill and the Government's push to focus on propelling Ireland's green economy.

Here's what Taoiseach Enda Kenny had to say about the clean-tech element of the Bill changes yesterday: "This provision in the Finance Bill is the latest in a series of developments by the Irish Government to ensure Ireland is in the best possible position to capitalize on the financing needs of the future green economy - and attract new business and jobs to our shores as well as give a competitive advantage to indigenous companies operating in this space."

The IFSC Clearing House Group and the Department of an Taoiseach set up the Green IFSC initiative to capitalise on the growing area of green finance. Global investment in clean energy reached US$260bn in 2011, up 5pc on 2010 and almost five times the total of US$53.6bn in 2004, so it a strong focal point for investors right now.

In the past two years collaboratve efforts between the Green IFSC, the Irish Government and the private sector has resulted in a number of additional tax changes in the area of green finance in a bid to grow business and jobs in the sector.

Other recent tax changes assisted by the Green IFSC, include:

• The inclusion of carbon offsets within the existing structured finance regime (S110, TCA 1997)
• Relief from stamp duty on transfers of greenhouse gas emissions allowances (S90A SDCA 1999)
• Extension of corporation tax relief for investments made in renewable energy projects up to 31 December 2014 (S486B TCA 1997)
• Inclusion of companies involved in production of energy from renewable sources within Income Tax Relief Scheme for Investment in Corporate Trades - Employment and Investment Incentive (S488 TCA 1997).

The companies were selected following an extensive review of 100 companies at a series of pitch sessions at DCU and the University of Ulster in October and November.

"As a leading technology company and employer in Ireland and the US, whose commitment to innovation has made it one of Silicon Valley's founding fathers, HP is delighted to support the ITLG in fostering vital links for Irish start-ups and giving them a platform to grow," said managing director of HP Ireland Martin Murphy.

Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland have advised that supports are available to their eligible client companies who are travelling to Silicon Valley to attend and participate at the Innovation Summit.

“We are delighted that we have the support of such an excellent panel of individuals who are willing to devote their time to help our entrepreneurs scale their companies from start-up to success", said John Hartnett, president and founder, ITLG.

Biotech/Clean tech

• AER Sustainable Energy
• Elimbac
• Radisens Diagnostics
• Redt

Entertainment and gaming

• ClearTone Technologies
• Digital Jet
• OmniMotion Technology
• VenueOne

Hardware/Semiconductor

• IKON Semiconductor Ltd.
• Rapt Touch Limited
• Smyth Research

Mobile/Social media/Web

• Aepona
• Phlok
• RepKnight
• Storyful
• Betapond

Software and services/Cloud

• DataHug
• Foxframe
• SaveMe4LAter
• SensorMind

According to the Wall Street Journal, the US Department of Justice is poised to OK the deal.

Considering the drama caused by the patent battles between Apple and Samsung, it is not surprising the EU is cautious about approving the deal.

Europe has been the battlefield for most of the high-profile clashes between Apple and Samsung. Last week, Apple had to temporarily remove certain iPhone and iPad models from its online store in Germany following a court decision in December.

Since beginning the acquisition process, Google has been clear that it does not intend to become a clone of Apple in controlling the hardware and software ecosystem of new devices like smartphones and tablet computers end to end, but would rather seek licensing agreements.

To convince Europe of its sincerity, perhaps Google – which has significant operations in various European countries – would be wise to show how it intends for this structure to work.

The Wave Hub, an electrical "socket" for testing wave-energy machines, was put on the seabed off Hayle, Cornwall, in 2010.

For three years now, Ocean Energy has been testing a quarter scale prototype of its buoy in Galway Bay.

Ocean Energy's buoy uses the oscillating water column principle. As waves enter a subsea chamber they force air through a turbine on the surface, generating electricity. As the waves recede they cause a vacuum, drawing air back through the turbine.

Together with its technology partner Dresser-Rand, with which it has signed an MOU, Ocean Energy was one of a number of companies competing for the opportunity to win the Wave Hub contract. The full-scale unit, when installed, will have the capacity to generate sustainable energy to power up to 1,200 homes.

Wave Hub said it will fund Ocean Energy's deployment costs up to a maximum of £1m (€1.2m). This will include the cost of securing a marine licence and installation of moorings and deployment, it confirmed today.

Speaking this afternoon, John McCarthy, chief executive and co-founder of Ocean Energy, said the contract win was a major achievement for Irish technology that has been developed with the assistance of Irish Government funding and expertise at the UCC Hydraulics and Maritime Research Centre.

"It is also an endorsement of the technology development path adopted by Ocean Energy," he said.

McCarthy said the "rigorous testing" and "proven survivability" of Ocean Energy's technology was a key driver in winning the contract for its device.

"Ireland, with its resources and technical capabilities, has the potential to become the world leader in wave energy and Ocean Energy plans to play its part in making this a reality," he said.

"Ocean Energy has completed three years of prototype testing in energetic sea conditions and is ready to make the next step to Wave Hub with a full-scale device. If the testing goes well we expect to see Ocean Energy deploy an array of devices," said Wave Hub's general manager Claire Gibson.

Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland recently released statistics, which pointed to how the Irish wave-energy industry has the potential to employ 50,000 people by 2030 and could generate more than four times Ireland's current installed capacity or 30,000MW of power.

In line with the European Commission's plan to create an 'Innovation Union' as part of its Europe 2020 strategy, the proposal to transform the ITs into more regional hotbeds of technological innovation – engaging with industry, spinning out companies based on applied research and sharing knowledge capital – appears to be on the cards.

Hunt report

The high-level strategy group chaired by Dr Colin Hunt brought out the Hunt Report early last year, looking at a national strategy for higher education for Ireland up to 2030. Part of the report evaluated the future evolution of the ITs and the universities.

It looked at the benefits of a regional cluster approach for such institutions. The Hunt Report pointed to how "consolidation should be promoted to create amalgamated institutes of technology" that would participate in "regional clusters with partner universities of a similar scale".

“However, there may be a case for facilitating the evolution of some existing institutes following a process of consolidation, into a form of university that is different in mission from the existing Irish universities," indicated the Hunt report at the time.

Munster and BMW regions - technological university plans

In the past few weeks, ITs in two regions have unleashed their plans to create technological universities. At the end of January, the presidents of the ITs in Limerick, Tralee and Cork announced their plans to create a Munster Technological University (MTU), with the aim of strengthening the region's educational prowess and enhancing links with local industry.

The IT heads said the MTU would have campuses in Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare and Tipperary and an initial enrolment of more than 24,000 students.

At the time, Dr Maria Hinfelaar, president, LIT, said that since the Hunt report came out last year, the ITs have been forced to rethink how they would view themselves in the new landscape and to reposition themselves.

For the Munster region, the three presidents sought out international advice before proceeding with their MTU plans.

"Prof Simon Marginson, an Australian expert on higher education, played a major role, while Prof Robin Smyth from the UK also gave advice. He had experience of when the polytechnics in the UK were converted into universities," said Hinfelaar, who is also chair of Institutes of Technology Ireland (IOTI) this year.

"When you think of the 14 institutes of technology in Ireland, including DIT, and the aim to consolidate them down to four, it's about increasing the pathways for students to receive higher education and to manage and use resources better," she said.

In terms of the border, midlands and west (BMW) region, in January the five ITs located there also set out their plans to create a technological university in the region. The ITs involved in the BMW Technological University plan are Athlone Institute of Technology, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Letterkenny Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology, Sligo.

The steering group said in January that such a university would be the largest higher-education institution of its kind in the State, with the capacity to take in up to 27,000 students.

For a long time, Waterford Institute of Technology and Carlow Institute of Technology had been campaigning to pursue a technological university for the southeast.

Science Hack Day Dublin is being run as part of the Dublin City of Science 2012 programme festival and Engineers Week. It will take place in The Hub at Dublin City University (DCU).

A of volunteers from different creative community groups, such as the Irish Robotics Club, Dublin Hackerspace TOG, Redbrick and The Hub and DCU are collaborating on the event.

The events have been catching on internationally as a way of bridging the gap between the science, technology and design fields.

During the marathon events, a shared physical space will allow scientists to collaborate with programmers, hackers and designers who have the knowledge to find creative solutions - or 'hacks' - to better use scientific data, hardware and research tools.

Science Hack Days also aim help to find more efficient ways of utilising open data produced from scientific research and city councils.

As part of its smarter city drive, Dublin City Council, for instance, has been pivotal in that its has opened up all of the city's data to the public, so groups and researchers can analyse the data.

Lightning talks

So what can people expect at the Science Hack Day in Dublin?

The event will kick off with two rounds of 'lightening talks', where scientists, or those with an interesting idea, can pitch project ideas to teams of programmers, hackers, engineers and designers.

Following that, teams will form to work on the projects over the next 36 hours.

The initiative appears to be very similar to the Startup Weekend movement that aims to create new digital start-ups by bringing groups of individuals together to pool their resources and ideas.

_{Delegates from Mexico, Germany, Brazil, South Africa, Iceland, Canada, United States, Japan, Kenya and Ireland at Science Hack Day in San Francisco. These individuals were able to attend due to a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Photo by Matt Biddulph}

Innovative results

Already, Science Hack Days' collaborative approach to problem solving has produced results in other cities. For instance, the most recent Science Hack Day in San Francisco covered a variety of scientific projects.  

Dublin's Science Hack Day ambassador Dr David McKeown's team won the Best Government Data Award in San Francisco for a smartphone-based, early-warning notification system for earthquakes.

Other projects used open data resources from the Large Hadron Collider, NASA and PLoS (Public Library of Science). Such projects spanned a range of fields, including cognitive science, marine science and underwater exploration, geophysical smartphone apps, DIY biohacking and data visualisation.

'Passionate geeks'

Ariel Waldman, founder of San Francisco Science Hack Day, was in Dublin this week for the launch of Science Hack Day Dublin. She spoke about how Dublin already has a "strong community of passionate geeks" that are bridging gaps between science, technology and art.

"Science Hack Day Dublin is the perfect spark to ignite future collaborations and ideas between these communities and anyone who wants to get excited and make things," she said.

While the Dublin event is free, tickets must be booked in advance.

Chugh himself has extensive experience in tech start-ups, IT and online product development. He previously worked with large multinationals such as O2 Ireland, T-Mobile UK, Bell Canada and LVMH Japan.

Via VideoCrisp, Chugh is pioneering a video creation and editing tool, targeted at SMEs and marketing professionals. The product will be launched in March.

Speaking this morning, Chugh said the company would be targeting start-ups and SMEs with its new video-creation technology.

He said the VideoCrisp tool would allow businesses to create new videos or edit existing videos more cost effectively and to help them drive their sales and marketing agendas.

VideoCrisp is currently participating in the Enterprise Platform Programme at the Synergy Centre, which is based at Institute of Technology, Tallaght. To date, it has raised €100,000 in early-stage funding, including €50,000 from Enterprise Ireland's Competitive Start Fund.

Chugh also indicated today that VideoCrisp will be announcing details of what he termed "cutting-edge technique that will be the first of its kind in the cloud-based video-editing industry".

"This new editing technique will empower end users with amazing video editing capability on both web and mobile," he said.

eMarketer has predicted that online video advertising spending will jump by 40pc to reach US$3.1bn in 2012. YouTube also recently announced that more than 4bn videos are viewed on its website every day, with 60 hours of new video content uploaded on the site every minute.

Organised by Innovation Wexford and The Fuse Initiative, the conference came about after a group of entrepreneurs in the southeast decided to tackle the region's enterprise drive for themselves. They headed over to Silicon Valley and knocked on doors to forge links with the diaspora in Northern California. Their aim was to network and make connections to help develop growth within the Irish SME sector.

"We saw a unique opportunity to develop growth within the Irish SME sector by forging stronger links with the diaspora in Northern California. We simply got on a plane and flew out to see them and were welcomed with open arms," explained Brendan Ennis, founder of Techovate and group chief executive at Innovation Wexford.

And the result? Senior executives from some IT giants, including Microsoft, Google, IBM, Facebook and LinkedIn, will be at the Techovate conference to share with local entrepreneurs how to innovate and survive in the challenging economic climate.

Speakers will include Carlow-born Lorraine Twohill, Google's vice-president of Global Marketing, Colin Brown, director of business operations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) with Microsoft; Claire Hayes, managing director, Emerging Company Services, PWC; and Conrad Burke, general manager, Innovalight Dupont.

Notable entrepreneurs to emerge from the southeast include Terry Clune of Taxback.com, David Walsh of Netwatch and Fred Karlsson of DoneDeal. They will also be sharing insights from their own entrepreneurial journeys at Techovate.

Business success

One of the highlights of the conference will be a session focusing on how to execute for business success, including top tips from five of the world's largest companies.

Techovate 2012 will use dialogue, seminars and workshops to show businesspeople how they can use technology to grow their business in a fast-moving global marketplace. The 48-hour event will also feature Techovate Interact, where people can experience the latest Facebook, Google, IBM and Microsoft technologies.

And select Irish companies will also be able to pitch their businesses at the Techovate Showcase.

Ennis said Techovate has had "phenomenal support" from vice-presidents and directors of these global companies. He said they had volunteered their time to address the conference in person or via video link and attend forums and panel discussions. Ennis also cited Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland's support in helping foster relationships between Techovate and the global technology leaders taking part in the conference.

Fred Karlsson, founder of DoneDeal, spoke about how the internet is quickly changing every business. "This creates lots of opportunities for new businesses, but also a lot of challenges for existing businesses," he said. DoneDeal.ie has its office in Wexford Town.

Innovation Wexford itself is a not-for-profit job creation organisation with a community focused approach to enterprise development. Up to now it has helped in the creation of more than 800 jobs and has supported the establishment and development of more than 100 companies. The FUSE Initiative is a group of 250 entrepreneurs and businesspeople aimed at promoting business growth in the southeast.

So why did Google take the top spot? Google aced the table for its support of stronger US clean-energy policy and the strengthening of the EU's current 20pc greenhouse gas target of 30pc by 2020, said Greenpeace today.

However, Japanese telecommunications company Softbank achieved the leaderboard's highest political advocacy score ever for its post-Fukushima nuclear disaster demand for a "rapid shift" towards renewable energy and away from nuclear power, Greenpeace confirmed.

Greenpeace said Google, Cisco, and Dell all stand out for sourcing more than 20pc renewable energy globally for each company's infrastructures. 

Oracle received the lowest ranking overall due to failing to disclose either renewable or dirty energy use.

Interestingly, Apple and Facebook were not included in this year's leaderboard. Greenpeace said Apple was not included because its efforts do not meet the leaderboard criteria.

Greenpeace said Apple "has not demonstrated leadership or elected to pursue market opportunities to drive IT energy solutions that many of its competitors have, despite record profits and large cash reserves".

Facebook was not included in the previous leaderboard for similar reasons, said Greenpeace. Back in December Greenpeace ended its 'Unfriend Coal' attack on Facebook, with the duo instead declaring their mission to launch a clean-energy drive. Greenpeace said today that Facebook had recently changed its policies and committed to a "renewably powered Facebook", announcing its partnership with Opower to use the Facebook platform to help its users compare their energy usage. 

Six telecommunications companies were added since the last leaderboard. These were: AT&T, Telefónica, Vodafone, Softbank, Alcatel-Lucent, and NTT.

Major IT software and equipment brands from India and Japan - HCL, TCS and NEC - were also included in the Greenpeace evaluation.

_{Greenpeace Cool IT Leaderboard (5th edition) Summary Table. Image courtesy of Greenpeace. Click here for more information}

Is the IT sector keeping too quiet on dirty data?

"Technology giants have a real opportunity to use their power and influence to change how we produce and use energy - Google tops the table because it's putting its money where its mouth is by pumping investment into renewable energy," said Greenpeace International IT analyst Gary Cook. "The IT sector might like to consider itself forward thinking, but it is keeping far too quiet while the dirty energy industry continues to exert undue influence on both the political process and financial markets."

According to Greenpeace, the rapid expansion of global telecom infrastructure and data centres that power the cloud is driving significant energy demand in many sectors, much of it from dirty sources, such as coal and diesel. 

The energy used to power data centres, such as those operated by Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, IBM and other major IT companies that deliver online services, comprises more than 2pc of US electricity demand, and is projected to grow 12pc or more per year. 

Dropoff in advocacy leadership

And while the Greenpeace ranking found a steady increase in the quantity and strength of renewable energy solutions from many companies such as Cisco, IBM, Ericsson and Fujitsu, it also found a significant dropoff in policy advocacy leadership by IT companies.

"The IT industry must use its influence, innovative spirit and technological know-how to overcome the dirty energy companies who are holding onto the status quo, and holding us back from a transition to a renewable energy economy," said Cook. "What we're seeing is a lot of talk from companies about moving toward clean energy, but so far, not much of action."

In April, Greenpeace will bring out its second How Dirty is Your Data report, which will look at the impact of the sector's rapidly growing infrastructure. Facebook and Apple will be included in that report, Greenpeace has confirmed.

The Irish Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association has indicated that Ireland's pharmaceutical industry generates more than 50pc of the country's exports, making Ireland the second-largest net exporter of medicines in the world. And right now 13 of the top 15 pharma companies in the world have operations in Ireland.

On the jobs front, Waldner Ireland is aiming to take on 16 new hires in 2012, as it anticipates an €8m turnover. Waldner already supplies lab spaces to companies in Ireland such as Genzyme, Pfizer and ISPEN and to academic institutions such as University College Cork and Dublin City University.

Plug and Play lab experience

Yesterday, Waldner held what it called a 'plug and play' laboratory experience at the lab, which is based at the company's Ballycoolin base in Blanchardstown, Co Dublin. At the open day, representatives from Irish universities and pharmaceutical companies tested out the energy-efficient scientific research laboratory for themselves.

Some of the sustainability-driven aspects of the lab Waldner has pioneered include a real-time dashboard or laboratory touch interface that monitors energy consumption of lab fittings and linked-up heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

The lab aims to encourage user interaction as opposed to direct analysis, with the goal of reducing energy output by 40pc, explained Christian Meichsner, laboratory carbon emissions expert and head of Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning solutions at Waldner.

Meichsner said visitors to the lab could interact with the interface, as well as viewing the fume cupboards.

User interaction

Waldner is liaising with University of Bradford to research the most effective ways of encouraging user interaction.

"Interestingly, users respond optimally to smiley faces on the communication interface. By plugging in information, for example, if the user is away from the lab the system will then decide and respond by dimming the lights and switching the heating off and automatically adjusting the laboratory ventilation," explained Meichsner.

'Pharmaceutical centre' of the world

Also speaking yesterday was Waldner Ireland managing director Noel Hodgins, who described Ireland as being "the pharmaceutical centre" of the world.

"Universities have placed a huge emphasis on improving lab facilities as more and more students enrol in science-related courses and they are becoming higher-profile, industry-linked facilities. The mass migration of pharmaceutical companies to Ireland has also seen a concentration on lab work. We have worked to provide a product that is both safety conscious, sustainable and energy efficient," added Hodgins.

The glasses come with a small, front-facing camera and all the computing is done wirelessly via the CPU and RAM in your synched smartphone, according to 9to5Google.

It is understood the glasses will use a derivative of Android and one eye on the glasses will provide you with the HUD information, so they won't be entirely transparent.

Scrolling and clicking will be done by tilting your head, as well as voice commands to manage your computing experience.

Howling at the moon?

In a separate development, the official Google blog revealed some of the blue sky concepts being assembled via X Labs' Solve for X gatherings which were hosted by chairman Eric Schmidt.

These gatherings seem to take some of the bizarre ideas straight out of science fiction and investigate how they can be made reality one day.

These ideas - moonshots - apparently live in the grey area between audacious projects and pure science fiction. "They are 10x improvement, not 10pc. That's partly what makes them so exciting," Google explained.

Google has assembled a number of the talks from the Solve for X gatherings, including Adrien Treuille, a professor of computer science and robotics at Carnegie Mellon University discussing EteRNA and Foldit, scientific discovery games where individual gamers are lapping the best computer programmes in DNA folding and RNA nano-fabrication problems.

In another talk, Rob McGinnis, co-founder of Oasys, suggests that fresh water could be produced everywhere in the world at less than one-tenth the energy input or cost to the environment of what's possible today.

Mary Lou Jepsen's Solve for X talk is on how it may literally be possible to take pictures of the mind's eye, which could have a staggering impact on how we communicate, preserve memories and understand ourselves.

Daphne Preuss, a leading geneticist who moved from academia to pursue plant genetics in order to help make the planet healthier and find ways to feed more people, also provides her vision in Google's Solve for X collection of moonshots.

The competition itself was part of a pan-European environmental initiative 'Future of Rural Energy in Europe' that was supported in Ireland by Calor Gas. On the island of Ireland the competition received over 1,000 post-primary entries. Students were encouraged to outline their vision of how to power Ireland's homes, hospitals, factories and schools into the future in a sustainable way. The Tell The Future judging panel comprised Science Foundation Ireland, Foróige and the Northern Ireland-based Rural Development Council.

Juanita O'Kane's entry, which won in the junior category, put forward ideas including the introduction of biomass energy, harnessing power from the sea, and developing new technology in sewage systems.

Jillian Murphy's entry, which won the senior category, focused on a world where resources were completely depleted and existing items could only be repaired. In order to generate electricity, new 'trampoline energy creators' were developed whereby people needed to jump up and down for 20 minutes to generate two hours of electricity. Looking at the positive side to the energy crisis, Jillian also highlighted how obesity was virtually non-existent.

Other Junior Category winners

• Second Place: Rachel O'Grady, Manor House School, Dublin
• Third Place: Callum McQuoid, Ulidia Integrated College, Antrim

Other Senior Category winners

• Second Place - Áine Donnelly, St Catherine's College, Armagh
• Third Place - Sarah Mulligan, St Louis Grammar School, Antrim
  

Check out what Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin has to say about science!

Here's the video featuring Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, the former Rose of Tralee, who is a science teacher and who has just returned to full-time education to do a PhD in maths education at Trinity College Dublin. Ní Shúilleabháin is one of the ambassadors for Dublin City of Science 2012. And her message for students, with all of the science events happening around the island this year? "Get involved. Just come and have fun!"

Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin on the importance of science education

Asset financing for utility-scale projects continue to be the main type of clean-energy investment in India, with US$9.5bn in 2011.

Bloomberg attests that the clean-tech upsurge has been propelled by a seven-fold increase in funding for grid-connected solar projects - from US$0.6bn in 2010 to US$4.2bn in 2011.

Solar almost reached the same level of investments as wind, which totalled US$4.6bn, according to the report.

'Record year' for India and clean tech

Ashish Sethia, head of India research at Bloomberg New Energy Finance, said there had been concerns at the start of the year that higher lending rates might have impacted investment. However, he said policy measures like the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission, and renewable energy's increasing cost competitiveness, have made this a "record year" for India in terms of its clean-tech investment climate.

The Bloomberg report pointed to how venture capital and private equity investment also made a strong comeback in India, as $425m was invested in 2011, more than four times the 2010 figure.

Wind and solar project developers such as Mytrah Energy India and Kiran Energy Solar Power were successful in carrying out deals.

India's wind sector added 2,827MW of capacity in 2011 compared with 2,140MW in 2010. This capacity placed India third in the global rankings for new wind energy installations, trailing behind China and the US.

And Bloomberg New Energy Finance is predicting that around 2,500MW to 3,200MW of wind capacity could be added in 2012.

Explained Sethia: "The surge in installation of renewable energy shows that it is becoming cost competitive and scalable, at a time when India is struggling to meet its targets for conventional power capacity."

He said that federal and state governments in India would have to ensure four elements if India's renewables focus is to stay apace.

"First, that transmission lines are available for projects; second, that the grid can handle an increased flow of renewable energy; third, that renewable purchase obligations are enforced; and, fourth, that project developers are paid on time for the power they produce," said Sethia.

The facility itself was designed by McCullough Mulvin Architects. In 2010, it won the prize for best educational building at the Irish Architecture Awards.

Speaking this afternoon, Ó Catháin described the 11,000 sq-metre facility as "a landmark on campus". He said it is not just a landmark in terms of its physical presence and the technology it embodies, but pointed to how the engineering centre is sparking new partnerships.

"Significantly, it positions the School of Engineering to the forefront of engineering education in Ireland," said Ó Catháin.

Already, faculty, students and researchers in mechanical, renewable and sustainable engineering electronics and software engineering, polymer engineering, plus civil and construction engineering are using the building.

Engineering education and industry

Ó Catháin also said engineering education has been "written into the DNA" of AIT since its inception. He also spoke today of the importance the institutes of technology (ITs), such as AIT, place on engaging with industry.

"As an academic community, we listen closely to what they are saying about their needs, responding to the requirements for particular skills, such as the need for graduates in cloud computing and network management, for polymer technologists for the medical device industry, for environmental engineering scientists, for green technologists," he said.

More than 1,000 engineering students are currently registered at AIT. Engineering students can also undertake a PhD and post-doctoral work on the AIT campus.

Technological universities and changing face of IT education in Ireland

The ITs have been in the news in recent week as the institutes in the border, midland and west (BMW) region announced their plan to pool their resources to create a technological university in the region, in a move to also ignite greater linkages with local industry. The BMW steering group comprised The steering group comprises presidents and senior staff of Athlone Institute of Technology, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, and Institute of Technology, Sligo.

Last week the ITs in Munster – Cork Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Tralee and Limerick Institute of Technology – announced their plan to create a Munster Technological University.

The new 'Upper Class launch' will commence on its London to New York JFK International Airport morning flight before rolling out across all aircraft. It will join Virgin Atlantic's Heathrow fleet over the next three years, confirmed Virgin Atlantic chief executive Steve Ridgway this morning.

The airline is not yet divulging any additional details on what the 'futuristic bar' or 'enhanced seats' will look like or how they will function.

What Virgin did reveal, however, about the stg£100m investment is that it would be used for "a new cutting-edge Upper Class cabin including an enhanced seat, a futuristic bar, and many other cabin updates to give passengers a unique flying experience".

It will also revamp its fine dining in-flight service, with fliers getting new customised menus and new crockery.

The new Airbus A330-300 itself is a twin engined aircraft. As part of Virgin's plans to green its fleet, the new plane will use 15pc less fuel per seat than the airline's A340-300 aircraft.

Market share - business travellers

Ridgway said today that Virgin Atlantic is seeking to increase its share of the business traveller market through a three-year programme of new product and service developments both on the ground and in the air, starting this spring.

Virgin is also getting set to open up a new "new multimillion pound" club house at New York's JFK International Airport, possibly in March. The airliner is also keeping this news slightly under wraps, but its teaser is that the club house will "set new standards for the industry".

Ridgway said Virgin had managed to grow its customer numbers across the Atlantic in the face of "increased capacity and bigger airline alliances".

"We are confident that this new programme of investment will enable us to continue to take market share as the product becomes more widely available across the fleet," he said.

Interestingly, Virgin Atlantic recruited groups of its most frequent fliers to test the new concepts it is rolling out. The airliner even went so far as allowing some people to try out the beds, with some people even engaging in an overnight stay in the airline's test facility!

Companies at NovaUCD include social web search firm HeyStaks, Tethras, which provides localisation services for app developers, equine genetics firm Equinome, e-learning company RendezVu and energy-management company Wattics.

"NovaUCD client companies were established to translate innovative ideas into value-added products and services, including companies which are commercialising UCD research outputs,” said Prof Peter Clinch, vice-president for Innovation at UCD. 

“The development and growth of such high-tech and knowledge-intensive companies is of critical importance for Ireland’s economic recovery.

“I am delighted that the facilities and supports being made available to the start-ups located at UCD are helping these companies thrive and create quality jobs,” he said.

He also indicated that the federal government had concluded that wind-energy projects off the mid-Atlantic coastline would cause no significant environmental damage.

The American Bird Conservancy has had concerns about bird deaths as a result of wind turbines.

Salazar said he hopes to issue long-term wind-energy leases later this year. He also alluded to reporters yesterday that wind-farm developers should not have to wait "nine to 10 years to get a lease".

In the past five years, wind power has been growing exponentially in the US – up 33pc each year in each of the past five years. However, all of that wind-farm growth has been onshore.

While offshore projects have been proposed, none are in construction yet. This is in stark contrast to Europe, which currently has 53 offshore wind projects. According to the European Wind Energy Association's latest offshore statistics, 1,371 turbines are installed and grid connected, totalling 3,813 MW in 53 wind farms in 10 European countries. This is up from 1,136 turbines, totalling 2,946 MW in 45 wind farms in nine European countries at the end of 2010.

Cape Wind is aiming to be the first offshore wind farm in the US. If the project goes ahead, it will be based on Nantucket Sound in Cape Cod, which is in Massachusetts. Salazar approved the project in 2010.

Once offshore wind developers secure leases this year, the next step will be overcoming the financial hurdle to hurl the projects into the construction phase.

Motorcheck.ie's managing director Shane Teskey said MINI topped the poll due to its average CO2 of 117.12 grammes per kilometre.

The MINI was followed closely by manufacturers Fiat and Seat, with 118.83 and 119.78 respectively, he said.

"When we began this analysis, we had no idea which individual brand would come out on top. The level of technology being embraced by car manufacturers to reduce the carbon footprint of their vehicles is staggering," said Teskey.

Of late, car manufacturers around the globe have been vying to come up with the cleanest technologies, ramping up their hybrid and electric car portfolios in order to stay apace with cutting CO2 emissions and also due to rising fuel prices as a result of issues such as energy security.

Top 10 Cleanest Cars - Motorcheck.ie

Motorcheck.ie itself provides vehicle history information for any vehicle registered in Ireland, Northern Ireland and the UK.



_{Morris Mini-Minor 1959. "621 AOK" was the first Mini off the production line to be badged Morris. It was never sold, and is now kept at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, UK}

Via the programme, successful entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland and industry experts in the IT, corporate law and start-up space are volunteering their time to help steer the new ventures in the right direction, according to Joanne Jennings, programme manager for Springboard.

At the end of their incubation phase at Springboard, which lasts for 6-12 weeks, the start-ups then pitch their business plans and strategies to the Springboard panel, which also includes venture capitalists.

Clean-tech focus

But back to Thermblow. The start-up is focusing its attentions on the plastic packaging marketplace market, which is estimated to be worth more than US$100bn globally right now.

CEO Andrew Walmsley said the company will aim to help plastics manufacturers meet their environmental obligations by advising them on switching to recyclable plastics.

He said Thermblow tapped into software developed at QUB and has created a service that it hopes will enable global companies of all sizes to make significant savings in their raw material costs, as well as meeting their sustainability and environmental obligations in the process.

For 12 weeks, Thermblow worked with an experienced entrepreneur-in-residence at QUB, gleaning free coaching.

"The role of the Springboard programme is to constructively challenge your thinking and heroic assumptions by bringing together a diverse set of skilled and experienced people including potential customers," explained Walmsley.

Aspiring entrepreneurs or people with ideas for a new tech venture should visit the NISP CONNECT website.