Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) recently announced a new round of Government funding for energy research and innovation. The call will support innovative energy RD&D projects which will help accelerate Ireland’s transition to a clean and secure energy future. Government support, in the form of a substantially increased budget, means this year SEAI expects to invest €10 million, in what is now a multi-year pipeline of energy RD&D projects. The deadline for applications for the call is the 29th of March 2021.
More than 100 projects were successful under previous funding calls. As a result, many companies and academic institutions are leading innovative projects and collaborations in the areas of wind energy, bioenergy, energy systems integration, energy efficiency, energy markets, smart grids, transportation, energy policy, community engagement and geothermal energy.
The 2021 call is open for applications from public and private sector organisations, either applying individually or as part of a consortium. As before, this year’s call will include both an open strand and a thematic strand. Aligning with the Programme for Government and the Climate Action Plan, prioritised thematic topics include areas relating to wind and offshore renewable energy, green hydrogen, building energy efficiency and retrofit, as well as other energy sectoral priorities.
William Walsh, CEO of SEAI said:
“Energy research and innovation are crucial components to achieve a low carbon economy for Ireland. Nationally and internationally, the emphasis is firmly on a green economic recovery, where research and innovation is front and centre. SEAI is committed to paving the way for the breakthrough solutions to clean and secure energy, and this RD&D funding will be instrumental to Ireland achieving 2030 targets and beyond. There is huge talent in the Irish Energy Research ecosystem and this is a call to our national experts to find Irish solutions for the Irish context.”
Further information is available on the SEAI National Energy RD&D Funding Programme webpage.
