The Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland (SEAI) has issued a call for energy research and innovation project proposals which will be backed by a €20m Government fund.

The call is open to applicants proposing energy generation initiatives on Irish farms.

The SEAI says the new round of funding will support “innovative energy research development and demonstration (RD&D) projects which will help accelerate Ireland’s transition to a clean and secure energy future”.

The deadline for applications for the 2022 call is Monday 16 May 2022 and it is open to applications from all research disciplines, and from public and private sector organisations, either applying individually or as part of a consortium.

Successful projects

More than 150 projects were successful under previous funding calls to drive solutions 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 SEAI also announced that the 2022 call involves co-funding partnerships with the Department of Agriculture.

Agricultural projects previously successful under the scheme include the University College Cork (UCC) development of economic solutions for on-farm anaerobic digestion technology and Westway Health’s GEBTechTM (Green Energy Boosting Technology) treatment for farm slurries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to generate energy.

More detail on this research is available here.

Clean energy transition

The SEAI call for 2022 will include both an open strand and a thematic strand.

In 2021, approximately 50% of successful applications were submitted to the open strand

The thematic strand includes research topics co-developed by SEAI in consultation with a range of government departments and agencies, whereas the open strand welcomes applicants to pitch proposals that they feel could achieve the overall programme objectives in support of Ireland’s clean energy transition.

In 2021, approximately 50% of successful applications were submitted to the open strand.

Director of research and policy insight at SEAI Margie McCarthy said: “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.

Ireland urgently needs to accelerate our efforts to decarbonise our economy

“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.”

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan said: “Ireland urgently needs to accelerate our efforts to decarbonise our economy as quickly as possible” and highlighted the “central role” research and innovation will play in achieving this.

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