The SEAI National Energy Research Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Funding Programme invests in innovative energy RD&D projects which contribute to Ireland's transition to a clean and secure energy future.
SEAI National Energy RD&D Funding Programme
The overarching programme objectives are to:
- Accelerate the development and deployment in the Irish marketplace of competitive energy-related products, processes and systems
- Support solutions that enable technical and other barriers to market uptake to be overcome
- Grow Ireland's national capacity to access, develop and apply international class RD&D
- Provide guidance and support to policy makers and public bodies through results, outcomes and learning from supported energy projects
The programme supports innovative and targeted actions in Research, Development & Demonstration to assist in the delivery of the following:
- Climate Action Plan 2019
- National Energy Efficiency Action Plan
- National Renewable Energy Action Plan
- The 2015 Energy White Paper
- Ireland's National Energy and Climate Plan
- The Strategic Energy Technology Plan
Pre-Call Announcement - 2021
The 2021 SEAI National Energy RD&D funding Programme Call will open for applications in February 2021.
Please keep an eye on this website for future updates or register to the SEAI research mailing list through which we provide updates on upcoming research calls and events.
Further details of past projects funded under the programme can be found in SEAI's National Energy Research Database
Who can avail of the programme
Applications will be accepted from:
- Private Enterprises
- Universities, Institutes of Technologies and State Funded Research Organisations
- Public Sector Bodies
- Semi-State Bodies
Your organisation may apply to the programme individually or as part of a consortium. Applications will only be accepted by organisations based in the Republic of Ireland.
What projects are eligible
The 2021 Funding Programme will provide the opportunity for applicants to submit proposals to either a thematic strand or open strand.
The Open Strand provides an opportunity for applicants to propose projects within SEAI’s legal remit which directly address the aims and objectives of the SEAI RD&D Funding Programme Call
The Thematic Strand provides an opportunity for applicants to submit proposals that address the requirements of the topics outlined in the Call document.
Further details of both strands and details of thematic topics will be outlined within the Call Document following Call launch this February.
Level of funding available & funding rate
Level of funding available
The level of funding available depends on the scale/type of your project. It typically ranges from small scale projects, of less than 1 year in duration with maximum budgets of €250,000, up to a max of €1,000,000 for large scale projects of up to four years’ duration.
Full details of confirmed levels of funding will be available following Call launch.
Funding rate
EU state aid rules stipulate:
- what types of research activities are eligible for support
- which costs relating to these activities may be covered in part or in full (ranging from 25% up to 100%)
- the maximum aid intensity that may be granted for the various activities
Full details will be available following Call launch.
Evaluation process and criteria
Only fully complete applications received prior to the application deadline will be considered for evaluation. Applications will be assessed under three evaluation criteria as follows:
- Excellence and Innovation (40%)
- Relevance and Impact (30%)
- Quality and Efficiency of Implementation (including value for money) (30%)
2019 SEAI National Energy RD&D Funding Call
The 2019 programme call attracted great interest and as such was extremely competitive, with €11 million in funding awarded to 50 research projects. The 2019 programme was run with support from the following strategic co-funding partners: ESB Group, Gas Networks Ireland and the Geological Survey of Ireland.
2019 SEAI National Energy RD&D Awards
Other 2019 Awards
| Funding Programme | Lead Organisation | Project Title | Co-funding with |
|---|---|---|---|
|
SEAI Energy Policy Research Fellowship Programme |
University College Dublin | Development of efficient, low-carbon and renewable heat in Ireland to 2050 | |
|
SEAI Energy Policy Research Fellowship Programme |
University College Dublin | Development of the offshore wind energy sector up to 2030 | |
| ERA-Net Smart Energy Systems 2018 RegSys Joint Call |
Glasport Bio
|
Development of novel antimicrobial cocktails to mitigate GHG emissions from stored slurries and manures | European Commission |
| ERA-Net Smart Energy Systems 2018 RegSys Joint Call |
IERC
|
BEYOND: Blockchain based Electricity trading for the integration of National and Decentralised local markets | European Commission |
| ERA-Net Smart Energy Systems 2018 RegSys Joint Call |
Spatial Outlook Ltd
|
Regional Energy Demand Analysis Portal (REDAP) | European Commission |
| ERA-Net Smart Energy Systems 2018 RegSys Joint Call |
University College Dublin |
EVCHIP - Electric Vehicles Charging Platform for Community | European Commission |
2018 SEAI National Energy RD&D Funding Call
The 2018 programme is supporting more than 50 projects to the value of €10 million and recieved cross-sectoral support from the following organisations in the form of co-funding: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine; the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; Gas Networks Ireland (GNI); the Marine Institute; and Met Éireann.
2018 SEAI National Energy RD&D Awards
Contact us
If you have any queries on the SEAI National Energy RD&D Funding Programme please contact EnergyResearch@seai.ie