Deadline: 26-Jul-23
The Department for the Economy (DfE or the Departmen hereafter) is now seeking energy related proposals from the research community to address its research needs and build the evidence base to deliver the 10X Economic Vision and the Northern Ireland Energy Strategy.
This produced a range of innovative and novel research ideas that will feed into key research themes and objectives under the new research programme and directly contribute to the evidence base of 10X policy making.
The purpose of this is to stimulate innovative and novel research ideas that will feed into key research themes and objectives under the new research programme and directly contribute to the evidence base in support of evidence-based policy making associated with the Energy Strategy.
Research Themes
- The 10X Economy Research Programme provides an overview of the Research Programme Themes and Projects for 2022 -23 and Beyond. The mission noted will be supported by seven key themes, with each theme including aspects of innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability:
- Focus on Key Technologies and Priority Clusters.
- A Changing World – A Sustainable & More Inclusive Economy.
- Skills for a Contemporary Labour Market.
- Diffusing Innovation.
- Funding Interventions, Understanding Enterprise & Business Growth.
- Place-Based Growth & Investment.
- Measuring Success.
Criteria
- The Department for the Economy welcomes energy related research proposals from academics or firms that wish to undertake a research project related to one, or more, of the key themes and Energy Strategy principles identified. Please note, the research should focus on and have relevance to the energy system in Northern Ireland.
- The Department is particularly keen for energy related research proposals in the following areas which:
- Considers the potential of E-mining in Northern Ireland to develop a sustainable supply chain of critical raw material (CRMs) and other important technology metals from e-waste.
- Reviews international benchmarking of community benefit and engagement approaches to guide community benefit initiatives delivered by developers of renewable energy infrastructure projects. Including on the experiences and views of consumers and communities about their dealings with renewable energy companies and the experience of having renewable infrastructure in their areas.
- Explores the costs and benefits of various levels of interconnection between NI and neighbouring jurisdictions. Covering different time periods, with possible viable alternates to interconnection (such as storage, low carbon flexible generation) and the export/import capacities of those jurisdictions/networks.
- Explores the costs and benefits associated with smart and Flexible Energy Networks of:
- different levels of storage needs for NI’s energy networks (short, medium and long-term) in balancing the variability of dispatchability of renewable electricity generation; and
- different models of energy aggregation services models; and different models of flexibility markets (especially those outside the Single Electricity Market (SEM) and how different Flexibility Services markets can coordinate and complement each other.
- Assesses the cost optimal decarbonisation scenarios for the domestic and non-domestic building typologies to create an information tool that provides a ‘menu’ of cost optimal intervention outputs for the domestic and non-domestic sectors.
- Explores the Northern Ireland Computable General Equilibrium [NI CGE] model to inform energy policy associated with renewables, energy efficiency, electric vehicles or skills.
- Determines the solar photovoltaic potential on a NI wide basis.
- Estimates the flow of energy related commodities, including Fuel Tourism, across the border of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Includes consideration of both volume of commodities and economic value.
- Assess the potential for renewable energy generation and storage within the NI Government estates.
For more information, visit 10X Economy.