UCD researchers receive two of seven Charles Parsons Research Energy Awards
Posted: 09 January 2007
UCD researchers have won two of the seven Charles Parsons Research Energy Awards that were recently announced by Noel Dempsey TD, the Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources.
With the assistance of an international peer review panel, the winning entries were selected from twenty-two proposals from eleven third-level institutions. The total combined value of seven awards is €20 million over a seven year period.
Pictured from left to right at the recent Charles Parsons Award ceremony: Mr Noel Dempsey, T.D., Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources; award recipient Prof Mark O'Malley, Director of UCD Electricity Research Centre; Prof Nick Quirke, Principal of UCD College of Engineering, Mathematical and Physical Sciences
The Charles Parsons Research Energy Awards were created in September 2006 to stimulate and develop Irish energy research by offering attractive packages to researchers and to provide them with the funding required to achieve significant results.
The UCD Electricity Research Centre (ERC) was one of the winners. The ERC is a collaboration between the Power Systems Research Group at UCD and the Electricity Industry on the Island of Ireland. Its research is focused on three main areas: new and evolving electricity markets, the integration of wind power into electricity grids and power system operations. The Director of the ERC, Professor Mark O’Malley accepted the award, which was worth almost €2.5 million.
Also pictured at the Charles Parsons Award ceremony (l-r): Mr Noel Dempsey, T.D., Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources; award recipient Prof Shane Ward , Director of UCD Bioresources Research Centre; Prof Nick Quirke, Principal of UCD College of Engineering, Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Professor Shane Ward, Director of the UCD Bioresources Research Centre (BRC) accepted an award in the region of €3 million. He said that the award was hugely significant. “The award will fund the appointment of three Parsons Researchers for a period of 7 years, plus research staff, summer internships for Biosystems Engineering undergraduates, and overseas placement of postgraduate researchers in key organisations.” The BRC also hopes to use some of the Parsons funding to continue important work on liquid bio-fuel and biomass-to-energy research.
“These Awards will significantly increase Irish energy research capacity by providing funding to third level institutions to allow them to build sustainable research teams comprising senior researchers, PhD studentships and undergraduate summer placements,” commented Minister Dempsey at the awards ceremony in Dublin.
There are a number of novel features in the scheme, including provision of 7 year funding for research positions. This is an important advance in increasing the attractiveness and recognition of research career positions. It is the first time that such extended early stage researcher funding has been provided in Ireland.
“A particular aim of the Awards is to attract a greater number of engineering students into research careers. This is relevant as engineering is a very appropriate background for many priority energy areas. We currently have a critical shortage of appropriately skilled people to meet our energy research needs,” said the Minister.
Electrical Power and Energy System Research Cluster at Queen’s University Belfast and the Centre for Sustainable Technologies at the University of Ulster were also among the seven successful proposals. The UCD Electricity Research Centre works closely with this group.
“The North-South aspect of the Charles Parsons Energy Research Awards is very important and will, I believe, result in enhanced research collaboration on this island,” continued the Minister.
“These Awards provide an important support to the priority research areas indicated in the recently published Energy Green Paper. The expansion of Irish energy research will provide both knowledge and skilled individuals, which are critical for the development of the Irish energy related industry. This will be vital as we seek to put in place a sustainable energy future for Ireland,” he concluded.