Energy entrepreneurs based at NovaUCD, the Innovation and Technology Transfer Centre at UCD, have won the Sustainable of Ireland's (SEAI) inaugural Innovation Award announced recently at the SEAI Energy Show 2011.

The winning product, the HIDLightSaver, is the result of research into the costs associated with lighting and High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps found in street lighting, floodlit arenas, motorways and retail outlets.

The Sustainable Energy Innovation Award winning product, the HIDLightSaver was developed and manufactured in Ireland and will help organisations reduce their energy costs and associated carbon footprint by as much as 35% and the technology has the potential to generate savings of €14 million on street light running costs alone.

The new SEAI award entries were evaluated on three criteria: innovation, energy performance and environmental impact, and the business potential of each product.

Shortlisted finalists underwent a public 'dragons' den' style encounter with a panel of four judges.

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The award winners were chosen by judges: Terence O'Rourke, Managing Partner KPMG Ireland; Joe Harford, former Chairman ESRI; Niamh Boyle, Founder and Managing Director of Corporate Reputations; and Brendan Halligan, Chairman SEAI, with each member of the panel expressing their enthusiasm at both the variety and high standards of the eight finalists.

The founders of Belfield Technologies are Dr Ger Devlin, Dr Kevin McDonnell, David Megan and Brian McDonnell, Bioresources Research Centre, UCD School of Agriculture, Food Science and Veterinary Medicine.

According to SEAI Chief Executive Professor J. Owen Lewis: "To see such high levels of creativity from all the finalists, and particularly from our winners, Belfield Technologies, is most encouraging as Ireland's journey towards the creation of a fully functioning Green Economy gathers pace. Products like the HIDLightSaverTM are needed now more than ever and I commend Dr Ger Devlin and Brian McDonnell for all their work in the creation of this product.

"The Innovation Awards proved to be a great addition to this year’s SEAI Energy Show and I look forward to seeing many of the finalist products succeeding to commercialisation in the near future."

On receiving the Sustainable Energy Innovation Award Dr Ger Devlin, co-founder, Belfield Technologies said: "We are delighted to have been presented with this prestigious award, as this endorsement is of vital importance in assisting us to attract customers for our innovative technology. Looking to the future, Belfield Technologies plans to launch into the UK and EU market later this year and plans to create at least 20 jobs in Ireland by 2013. Our vision is to become a successful Irish greentech company providing energy efficient and innovative cost savings solutions worldwide."

The Sustainable Energy Innovation Award winners will receive financial support towards their business development costs.

(BMcC/GK)