SEAI announces €20m for clean energy projects in Ireland

7 May 2024

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Margie McCarthy of SEAI said that transforming energy research using collaborative approaches is paramount to Ireland’s energy revolution.

The Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) has announced nearly €20m in research funding for projects that focus on innovation to support Ireland’s green energy transition.

In an announcement today (7 May), the Irish Government body said that it expects to invest almost €20m thanks to an increased budget for a multi-year pipeline of research and development projects for a clean energy future.

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan, TD said that new technologies and approaches are “urgently required” to help us develop a sustainable, secure and affordable energy system.

“Research and innovation are vital to accelerating Ireland’s decarbonisation pathway with the delivery of more effective technological solutions,” Ryan said. “I am delighted to launch this call which will support many projects focused on researching and innovating solutions that will enhance our energy system, society and economy.”

Since 2018, more than 240 projects have been successful in SEAI funding calls in the areas of wind energy, bioenergy, energy systems integration, energy efficiency, energy markets, smart grids, transportation, energy policy, community engagement and geothermal energy.

Now, the latest call for applications welcomes individual or group projects from all research disciplines and across the public and private sectors.

Margie McCarthy, director of research and policy insights at SEAI, said that transforming energy research using collaborative approaches is “paramount” to Ireland’s energy revolution.

“We need to act now if we are to meet our 2030 and 2050 climate targets set out by government, and SEAI is committed to finding solutions to get there, by removing barriers, enhancing capacity and overcoming challenges through this RD&D funding,” said McCarthy.

“We need new technologies, new approaches and behavioural change and we are calling on the Irish energy research community to find new ways to enhance energy management and efficiency and reduce fossil fuel usage for the benefit of our country now and for years to come.”

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Vish Gain is a journalist with Silicon Republic

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