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€1.7million project aimed at reducing energy costs for industry printable version

17 Dec 2012: posted by the editor - Technology, Northern Ireland, Ireland

North-South industry-led research partnership with leading 3rd level academic institutions gets underway
A new €1.69million energy efficiency research project aimed at significantly reducing energy costs for industry and creating jobs has been launched by the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton and Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Pat Rabbitte.

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, so as to reduce overall energy costs. The results of the research will allow international and indigenous companies to significantly reduce their energy costs by helping them reduce their energy bills. This will be achieved by helping the companies to understanding where excess energy is being used.

This project is a cross-border collaboration between Limerick Institute of Technology and the University of Ulster, funded through the International Energy Research Centre (IERC) located at Tyndall National Institute, Cork.

Jointly making the announcement, Minister Rabbitte said: "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. 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."

Minister Bruton said: "A key part of the 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. Today’s announcement is an excellent example of what we are trying to achieve through out investment in research—concreate 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."

The principal scientist with the TEMPO project is Mr John Cosgrove, Director of the ACORN Research Group at Limerick Institute of Technology, working with Professor Martin McGinnity, Director of the Intelligent Systems Research Centre (ISRC) at University of Ulster's Magee campus and Professor Neil Hewitt, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Technologies (CST) at the University of Ulster’s Jordanstown campus.

* Ireland has developed an energy research ecosystem which comprises a number of research centres covering discrete areas of emphasis. These include the International Energy Research Centre (IERC) for Integrated Energy Systems, the Electricity Research Centre, ERC for Grid Management and the Innovation for Ireland’s Energy Efficiency (I2E2) Technology Centre. This research investment involves collaboration between two of these centres IERC and I2E2

About the IERC—International Energy Research Centre
The IERC, established in April 2010 and hosted at Tyndall National Institute in Cork, serves as an energy research hub facilitating collaboration between industry and leading Irish and international research groups with technological capabilities in sustainable energy. The centre focuses on the commercial development of the science and engineering of integrated energy solutions, and is supported by the Irish Government through an inter agency project team comprising IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland and Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland.

About I2E2 I2E2 is one of Ireland’s existing industry led technology centres funded under the Irish Government’s Technology Centres Programme to facilitate research which will have a direct impact on industry and employment. I2E2’s research focus is on energy efficiency improvements in factories, plant, equipment and buildings. Their current research agenda focuses on compressed air systems characterisation, use and solution integration, appropriate work environments and HVAC systems. The innovations will enable the Irish manufacturing industry to improve competitiveness via breakthroughs in energy efficiency and cost reduction.

Tags: Energy, industry

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