Research Sprint timetable
The Research Sprint session will run from 12:00 - 14:30.
This session will include a series of short 7-minute presentations, in a ‘research sprint’ format. This is an opportunity for researchers active in the area, to introduce their research, present their ideas for areas of future research and collaboration, and to drive discussion during the Q&A, with an overall focus on integrated energy systems in Ireland.
| Time | Title | Abstract | Speaker |
|---|---|---|---|
| TBC | Closing the Loop: Sustainable LFP Battery Recycling for Integrated Energy Resilience | The transition to a net-zero energy system in Ireland depends not only on renewable generation and smart grids, but also on how we manage energy-related materials across their life cycles. This research addresses a critical gap in integrated energy systems: the sustainable recovery of key materials from lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are projected to dominate energy storage in both transport and stationary applications. Our work proposes a new approach that supports circularity, reduces dependence on imported raw materials, and aligns with environmental goals. Through collaboration with industry stakeholders and alignment with EU policy drivers, we demonstrate how advanced material recovery can strengthen Ireland’s energy resilience while contributing to a more flexible, decarbonised and resource-efficient energy system. | Dr Jizhong Meng |
| TBC | Towards Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Energy Trading: A Policy Pathway for Ireland’s Decentralised Energy Future | Ireland’s electricity system is rapidly decentralising, with growing numbers of prosumers and energy communities generating local renewable electricity. Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading offers a promising model to enable direct exchange of electricity between households and communities using smart meters, digital platforms, and dynamic pricing. This policy paper outlines a phased roadmap to integrate P2P energy trading within Ireland’s evolving policy, regulatory, and technical landscape. Drawing on domestic pilot projects (e.g. Dingle, CityXChange) and international case studies (e.g. Quartierstrom, CleanwattsOS), the paper identifies key barriers such as unclear market roles, supplier disengagement, limited data access, and low-voltage grid constraints and proposes targeted actions to overcome them. This paper identifies five key recommendations to advance P2P models: revising the Microgeneration Support Scheme (MSS) to incorporate dynamic payments, supporting early-stage P2P pilots within Sustainable Energy Communities (SECs), clarifying legal and billing frameworks, and enabling secure smart meter data sharing. The roadmap sets out specific short-, medium-, and long-term goals for major organisations like ESB Networks, SEAI, CRU, DCEE and EirGrid. Implemented together, these steps enable Ireland to transition from current support schemes to a nation-wide, regulated P2P ecosystem, enhancing grid flexibility, affordability, and citizen engagement in support of Ireland’s decarbonisation goals. | Dr Sweta Malik |
| TBC | RevRenew: Revving up Renewable Integration: Standardizing Smart Connections for EVs and Renewables | This study explores the integration of renewable energy technologies into the smart home network with the aim of enhancing efficiency and streamlining the process of integrating renewable energy sources. As part of a recently completed H2020 project (IDEAS), an Irish demonstration community centre (in Westport), with geothermal and air source heat pumps, solar photovoltaic/thermal panels, and latent heat storage floors, will be used to provide baseline data for this study in terms of optimisation of multiple renewable sources. A citizen science approach will be taken where 50 members of the public will actively participate in the scientific process, enabling access to performance data from their renewable energy installations and/or EV charging regimes. This data along with the centre will be used for determinations of benefits of EV integration. From the IDEAS project, the state-of-the-art control system with predictive energy demand and renewable generation functionality will be deployed in the community centre and optimised for the home to include predictive energy demand and renewable generation using Machine learning and AI. within the home, including issues related to interoperability, security, and privacy for renewables, EV and home/grid integration. | Dr Anita Ortega |
| TBC | Evaluating Thermal Storage Integration for Grid-Responsive Operation of Fourth-Generation District Heating Systems | The decarbonisation of Ireland’s heating sector requires the deployment of integrated energy systems that can respond flexibly to grid conditions. This research explores the role of fourth generation district heating systems, which use low-temperature water distribution and decentralised heat pump substations, in supporting grid flexibility through coordinated control and distributed thermal energy storage (TES). A simulation-based framework was developed to evaluate the operational, economic, and environmental performance of such systems in response to real-time electricity balancing market signals. The framework was applied to a representative urban district in Dublin, equipped with 379 substations and 800 cubic metres of distributed TES. The results show that strategic TES operation enables demand shifting away from high-price periods, which reduces electricity costs and grid emissions. Over a one-month simulation, TES integration reduced operational CO₂ emissions by 22 percent and generated €112,350 in flexibility revenue. This offset 67.8 percent of the electricity cost of the decentralised heat pumps. These findings highlight the potential of fourth generation district heating systems to enhance grid reliability while supporting national climate targets. The work provides a scalable assessment approach that can support future planning, market integration, and policy development for integrated electricity and heating systems in Ireland. | Alireza Etemad |
| TBC | A Systems Approach to Developing a Novel Carbon Neutrality Framework for Energy-Flexible Grid-Interactive Buildings | The research develops a novel framework based on the systems thinking approach for attaining carbon neutrality in energy-flexible grid interactive buildings (GIBs). Employing a holistic viewpoint, the proposed framework outlines two interconnected subsystems: the Problem System, encompassing the technical core of smart buildings, electrical grid, and energy flexibility; and the Solution System, which integrates ontology, Smart Readiness Indicators (SRI), and policy implementation. The Problem System addresses the dynamic interaction between the building energy demand, grid constraints, and flexibility capabilities to optimise load management and renewable integration using smart technologies. On the other hand, the Solution System provides the enabling layer via ontology to establish standardised, machine-readable vocabulary that facilitates data interoperability, SRI for performance assessment, and policies for evidence based-implementation. Grounded in systems theory, this approach mitigates complexity by emphasising relationships and synergies in GIBs ecosystem, fostering the transition of integrated energy systems from energy neutrality to carbon neutrality, aligning with EU Electricity Grid Action Plan (2023), National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs), EU Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), and EU’s 2050 net-zero goals. Applied to Ireland’s context, it supports grid decarbonisation and building digitalisation supporting Project Ireland 2040 goals. | Kriti Bhalla |
| TBC | Heat Recovery from Wastewater Treatment Plants to Supply Existing Buildings with Low-Carbon Heat via District Heating | Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been used as a source of low-carbon heating to supply buildings nearby via district heating since the 1980s. For example, in Sweden alone there were ~500 MW of heat pumps installed at WWTPs supplying local district heating networks in the mid-1980s. This research aims to highlight the potential of heat recovery at WWTPs around Ireland with a focus on the University of Limerick (UL) campus, which is located next to a WWTP facility. With the support of both Uisce Éireann (Irish Water) who operate the WWTP plant, and the UL, this work quantifies how much heat can be recovered at the WWTP, how much is required in the nearby buildings of the UL campus, and subsequently designs a solution which could be put in place to connect the two. This solution consists of an Energy Centre, where the heat is recovered from the WWTP, a district heating network to connect the Energy Centre to the buildings of UL, and Building Connections where the heat network can be integrated into existing Plant Rooms in the buildings of UL. The district heating project presented will be based on the design principles of 4th Generation District Heating. | Dr Eoin Ó Broin |