Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, has launched a €2.6 million phased funding initiative to support five pioneering research teams.

This investment, delivered through a partnership between Research Ireland and Gas Networks Ireland (GNI), aims to advance renewable gas production, energy system integration, and intelligent network technologies.

The successful research teams will focus on developing commercially viable solutions for biomethane and biohydrogen production. Additionally, the funding supports the creation of AI-driven diagnostics for gas network performance and advanced digital twins to assist in dynamic decarbonisation planning.

A core feature of the Innovation Challenge is the direct collaboration between academia and industry. Each team is paired with a dedicated GNI liaison to ensure that the research is grounded in real-world infrastructure needs, facilitating the testing and eventual deployment of these technologies at scale.

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Minister James Lawless said: "This €2.6 million investment marks an important step in Ireland's journey toward a climate‑neutral future. By bringing academics and industry together, this programme empowers world‑class researchers to deliver practical, high‑impact solutions in renewable gas and intelligent energy systems. It shows how targeted research investment can accelerate sustainability, bolster our energy security, and position Ireland as a global leader in research‑driven innovation."

Dr Diarmuid O'Brien, CEO of Research Ireland, noted that the challenge model—which embeds end users within the research process—is vital for meeting Ireland's commitment to be climate-neutral by 2050. Bobby Gleeson, Chief Operations Officer at Gas Networks Ireland, added that the projects would "strengthen Ireland's energy system, improve resilience and support our journey to net zero."

The five funded projects are:

• BIOGRID: Focuses on intensified reactors to convert biogas into grid-quality biomethane (University of Limerick & UCD).

• DIGIGAS: A GeoAI-powered "Digital Twin" of Ireland's gas infrastructure for decarbonisation planning (ATU & UCD).

• ALgas: Exploring macroalgal biorefining and social licensing for new biomethane production (University of Galway).

• O.P.P.O.R.T.U.N.I.T.Y.: Utilising nanomaterials to optimise the production of renewable technologies (DCU).

• ReGasIn: Scenario modelling for renewable gases in future integrated energy systems (Tyndall National Institute & UCC).

The projects are funded via GNI's Gas Innovation Fund and will progress their solutions over the coming months to support the integration of renewable gases at scale.