The goal of a new €1.69m energy-efficiency research project will be to significantly cut energy costs for industry and create jobs, Ireland’s Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton, TD, and Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte, TD, have announced today.
The Total Energy Management for Production Operations (TEMPO) research project will focus on establishing an effective way of monitoring total energy consumption during the manufacturing process, and thus reduce overall energy costs. Companies will also receive a clearer picture of where excess energy is being used.
The project is a collaboration between Limerick Institute of Technology and the University of Ulster, funded through the International Energy Research Centre (IERC) at Tyndall National Institute, Cork.
“This research project, with its strong focus on reducing energy costs for industry, is exactly the type of initiative we want to see coming from Ireland’s research community,” Rabbitte said.
“It clearly demonstrates the benefits that come from linking our research capability with industry needs, and from developing integrated energy projects that can deliver measurable, cost-effective solutions.
“Energy efficiencies are strategically highly important both to industry and to the national economy and this research initiative underpins the Government’s objectives in this important area.”
Economic growth for Ireland
Bruton added that a key part of the Irish Government’s plan for economic growth and job creation is to turn good ideas into good jobs by supporting and investing in Irish research capability and the commercialisation of this research.
“We are committed to supporting high-tech research in our universities and institutes and to driving increased research-industry collaboration,” Bruton said.
“Today’s announcement is an excellent example of what we are trying to achieve throughout investment in research – concrete ideas which can be used by companies to solve problems and create jobs. Through continued implementation of the Action Plan for Jobs, I am determined to ensure we can see more initiatives like this to help create the jobs and growth we need.”
TEMPO team
The principal scientist with the TEMPO project is John Cosgrove, director of the ACORN Research Group at Limerick Institute of Technology, working with Prof Martin McGinnity, director of the Intelligent Systems Research Centre (ISRC) at University of Ulster’s Magee campus and Prof Neil Hewitt, director of the Centre for Sustainable Technologies (CST) at the University of Ulster’s Jordanstown campus.
