Irish research teams compete for €1m decarbonisation prize

Five Irish research teams have entered the second phase of a €1 million decarbonisation challenge, presenting their proposals at Technological University Dublin’s Grangegorman campus on 11 November during Science Week.

The challenge, launched by Gas Networks Ireland and Research Ireland in June 2025, is a €2.6 million research and innovation programme aimed at renewable gas, energy systems and artificial intelligence. After a six‑month concept‑formation stage last year, each of the five qualifying teams now receives up to €150 000 in seed funding for a 12‑month development period.

Competing projects include the University of Galway’s seaweed‑to‑energy conversion, the University of Limerick’s effort to boost biomethane yields using existing infrastructure, and Atlantic Technological University and University College Dublin’s work on AI‑driven monitoring of renewable networks.

Other entries feature Dublin City University’s “Opportunity” project, which seeks low‑energy methods to turn hard‑to‑recycle plastic waste into hydrogen, and a joint Tyndall National Institute‑University College Cork team developing integrated future energy systems.

The final prize round will conclude in June 2026, with the winning team awarded €1 million to further advance their low‑carbon solution.

Source: Silicon Republic. Photo: Ludovic Delot / Pexels.