Cork Harbour €200m Marine Energy Research Centre Underway

2nd July 2013

#marinescience – Ireland's access to two of the most powerful natural resources in the world – wave and wind – has lead Government to give the green light to a new €200 million maritime research Centre that aims to propel Ireland to the forefront of global maritime and energy markets.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny will to turn the sod on the Beaufort Research Centre next Thursday, 11 July in Cork Harbour.

In February, Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mr Richard Bruton, and the Minister for Research and Innovation, Mr. Seán Sherlock, announced details of Science Foundation Ireland's (SFI) largest state/industry research investment in Irish history. State investment of €200m will be matched by a contribution of some €100m by the business sector over the next six years.

The hugely ambitious plans are drawn from research at the maritime cluster in the Ringaskiddy area, bringing together SERG (Sustainable Energy Research Group) and the HMRC (Hydraulics & Maritime Research Centre) and the CMRC (Coastal and Marine Research Centre).

Th Beaufort centre will provide an accessible entry point for international and national industry and research groups focused on sustainable resource development as well as a Centre of academic excellence for education on maritime and energy fields, and ensure that Ireland is a global leader in research in the maritime & sustainable energy field.

The investment in the Beaufort Research Centre is a combined €200 million project, and will allow for the creation of 200 jobs during construction, as well as permanent staff thereafter in the area of 150.

Ocean energy advocate Dr. Tony Lewis (UCC) who heads up the new centre has been working to harness wave power when few could see the potential. Georgina Foley who is Business Development and Access Manager for the Beaufort Research Centre is also driving this project.

The architects on the centre are McCullough Mulvin from Dublin.

Ireland is in one of the best locations in terms of marine renewable energy resources. This centre will develop the science and technology required by industry to generate wave, tidal and floating wind energy devices. MaREI will carry out world leading research on all aspects required for the success of the marine renewable energy sector while also educating and training the next generation of engineers and scientists for the marine renewable energy industry.

Published in Marine Science

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Beaufort

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