NUI GALWAY and Gas Networks Ireland are leading a new transport revolution, introducing compressed natural gas (CNG) and renewable gas for trucks, vans and buses.
The ‘Causeway’ project is the first time the University has secured a funding application from the European Union’s Connecting Europe Facility.
The Causeway project received approval for €6.5 million co-funding from the European Commission.
Causeway will see the development of a natural gas transport re-fuelling network in Ireland.
The project will support an overall nationwide roll-out of 70 compressed natural gas filling stations.
In addition to this, a renewable gas injection facility will be built in 2018. This will introduce renewable gas into the natural gas network for the first time.
The work which is undertaken in Ireland will be monitored and documented by NUI Galway.
This research will then be fed back to gas operators all over Europe and will assist in the development of similar projects across the continent.
Commenting on the project, President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne, said that this is a major project for NUI Galway to be involved in, as it will form the basis of the first use of an alternative, sustainable transport fuel in Ireland.
“Within our Ryan Institute for Environment, Marine and Energy Research, in particular, we have built up a track record in sustainability research and innovation.
“This includes decades of scientific and engineering expertise built up in the area of renewable gas. We look forward to NUI Galway playing a key role in distilling and disseminating the results and impacts of the Causeway Project, not only for the benefit of Ireland, but to provide learnings to other EU member states too,” Dr Browne said.
Denis O’Sullivan, Head of Commercial at Gas Networks Ireland, explained that transport accounts for over one third of all energy used in Ireland.
“The development of a natural gas transport network will significantly de-carbonise Ireland’s commercial fleet. CNG, and the soon to be introduced renewable gas, will play a major role in making transport in Ireland cleaner.
“Gas Networks Ireland is determined to play an important role in facilitating the development of this new, cleaner transport network. It is particularly important that the advances we are making through this project, and through the work of NUI Galway, will play a role in changing the transport landscape throughout Europe,” he said.
