Industry & Business

The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) has announced a research fund of over €2.5 million to support cutting-edge research, development and demonstration energy projects in 2018. The Research, Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Funding Programme aims to develop new energy solutions that can help our homes, businesses and communities become more energy efficient and deliver a cleaner energy future.

Commenting, Denis Naughten TD, Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment, said: “This investment demonstrates the Government’s commitment to advancing research and development in the energy sector and producing real results for the environment and the economy. Ireland faces very significant challenges in meeting our binding climate change targets and avoiding compliance costs. The SEAI RD&D Funding Programme has the potential to develop new and innovative ways to understand our energy use and develop new responses to the energy challenges we face.”

The funding programme is open to a wide range of proposal types including technology RD&D, field research, and feasibility studies. For the first time, multi-annual projects up to a value of €650k will be funded for up to four years. This will facilitate the funding of longer, larger and more impactful projects. Smaller projects with budgets of up to €100k and durations of up to one year can also apply.

Jim Gannon, CEO of SEAI, said: “SEAI is delighted to grow our investment in the solutions that will shape the energy systems of the future. Business, academic and technology alumni of the SEAI RD&D programme continue to thrive, and garner awards, recognising their innovation and entrepreneurship. For every euro SEAI invests in research it attracts three euro in investment from industry which is one of the bests ratios of any research funding body in Ireland. In 2018, we will increase Ireland’s level of energy-related RD&D through our collaboration with other research funding bodies, by introducing multi-annual projects and by focusing on strategic areas.

 “This year, SEAI will also host an inaugural National Forum on Energy Research, which will bring together the energy research community, industry and policy-makers to share their experiences and ambitions. We will also further develop our national energy research portal.”

Last year, SEAI invested over €2 million in RD&D projects. Examples include:

• Exploring the application of blockchain technology in the energy sector which resulted in the development and prototyping of the SmartBlocks solution (The Nimbus Research Centre in CIT)
• Examining the growth of Ireland’s data centres, as well as identifying sustainability measures for the sector (Host in Ireland)
• Demonstrating the real-world operation of a rural battery storage network (The eStore project – Solo Energy Ltd., in partnership with DP Energy and ESB Networks).

The fund is open to applications from companies, research performing organisations (e.g. universities, Institutes of Technology and publically funded research institutions) and public sector bodies who are based in the Republic of Ireland. Organisations working in collaboration are also encouraged to apply.

See the SEAI website for further information on call details, the application closing date and relevant documentation. Further information is available at www.seai.ie/grants