NUI Galway has secured €6.5 million in EU funding to develop a national network of compressed natural gas (CNG) filling stations with Gas Networks Ireland.
The Causeway project will support a nationwide roll-out of 70 CNG filling stations and lead to a significant reduction in the transport sector’s carbon footprint. In addition, a renewable gas injection facility will be built, introducing renewable gas into the natural gas network. 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.
Up to €20,000 is available to businesses towards the purchase of a new natural gas vehicle to replace an equivalent diesel or petrol-fuelled vehicle. The fund will make a total of €700,000 of funding available to transport operators.
NUI Galway President Dr Jim Browne said: “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 & 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.”
Denis O’Sullivan, head of commercial at Gas Networks Ireland, said: “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… 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.”
The Connecting Europe Facility – Transport (CEF – Transport) supports innovation in the transport system to improve the use of infrastructure, reduce the environmental impact of transport, enhance energy efficiency and increase safety. The total EU budget for CEF – Transport is €24 billion from 2014 to 2020.
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