Ireland's State of the Environment Report 2024

360 Chapter 13: Environment and Industry There are signs of progress in some areas. The move from carbon-intensive fuel oil to cleaner gas fuel is a likely cause. Further movement from combustion- sourced heating to electrification in industry will see this decoupling of emissions from economic growth continue. One clear change arising from the climate emergency and wider energy crisis is to rapidly progress the provision of net-zero technologies (see Figure 13.23) and energy efficiencies within industry. 27 These are considered in Chapter 12. Figure 13.23  Key net-zero technologies that are commercially available and have potential for a rapid scale-up Solar photovoltaic and solar thermal Sustainable biogas/biomethane Batteries and storage Carbon capture and storage Heat pumps and geothermal energy Grid technologies Electrolysers and fuel cells Onshore wind and offshore renewables Source: European Commission 28 27 Energy Efficiency Directive (EU/2023/1791) 28 commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal/green-deal-industrial-plan/net-zero-industry- act_en (accessed 25 July 2024). 29 e.g. Climate Enterprise Action Fund; Enterprise Ireland/IDA Ireland technology centres and Enterprise Ireland technology gateways. 30 www.sfi.ie/sfi-research-centres/ (accessed 15 July 2024). Research on industry and the environment The government has put in place a number of research programmes to support companies in the industry sector in their green transition. Some of the more notable include various Enterprise Ireland programmes, 29 including the Irish Manufacturing Research Centre, which is dedicated to assisting manufacturers and their supply chains to switch from linear to circular business models, and the Nimbus Research Centre, which looks at the potential for innovative water reuse within industry. Significant funding is also made available under the Science Foundation Ireland research centres, 30 linking scientists in partnerships across academia and industry to tackle key environmental challenges. These include: ■ BiOrbic – converting food waste residues to higher value products ■ VistaMilk – sustainable agri-tech ■ MaREI – researchers working with 50 companies on energy transition and climate action approaches. Since 2019, the EPA has funded nearly 30 new research projects relevant to the environment and industry area, a commitment of €3.12 million. Funding comes from the EPA Research Programme (2021-2030) and the EPA Green Enterprise Scheme. Research is vital for providing integrated solutions for many of the complex challenges facing the industrial sectors in Ireland. A team at University College Cork demonstrated the effective treatment of dairy waste water while generating products that can strengthen the local economy and create new relationships between farmers, dairy processors and innovative rural industries (Walsh et al. , 2022). Following a successful EPA-funded pilot project with major industrial water users in Ireland (Stockil et al ., 2016), a research team based in Limerick is part of a significant Horizon Europe funding programme (€20 million) that is developing novel digital technologies aimed at maximising water and energy recovery and modernising industrial waste water management practices.