The first two projects have been approved as part of the government-supported International Energy Research Centre. Contracts valued at a total of €1million have been agreed between the International Energy Research Centre and four higher education institutions – NUI Galway, University College Cork, Cork Institute of Technology and Dublin Institute of Technology.
The cutting-edge research projects will focus on energy efficiency and energy storage in commercial buildings, in particular: using wireless networks to control and manage heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, and redesigning and developing storage heating solutions.
The International Energy Research Centre is a collaboration between industry, Departments and Agencies and leading Irish and international research groups with proven expertise in technological areas which are becoming increasingly relevant to the energy challenge. It is hosted by the Tyndall National Institute in Cork. It is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources working with a coordinated agency project team of IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.
The two projects are intended to complement existing world class energy research activities in Ireland including the internationally renowned smart grid and renewable energy integration research at the UCD Electricity Research Centre working in partnership with global companies as well as EirGrid and ESB Networks.
“Energy is of fundamental strategic importance to the economy and it is essential that we continue to invest in research to develop energy efficiency technologies which will underpin the Government’s energy efficiency objectives and support economic growth in the clean technology sector. These partnership projects are a case in point,” says Pat Rabbitte TD, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources.
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD comments: “A key part of this Government’s plan to get out of this crisis and get jobs and growth back into the economy is to focus on sectors where as a country we have distinct advantages. The green economy clearly is one of these sectors, as not only do we have unrivalled natural resources in the area, but we have also built up a base of excellent research strength over the past decade.”