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Faculty of Engineering and Computing
Dr Lorna Fitzsimons and Dr Reihaneh Aghamolaei from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Dr Reihaneh Aghamolaei and Dr Lorna Fitzsimons from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering

The ALIGN Project Secures €460,000 to Tackle Energy Poverty in Ireland and Europe

Dr Lorna Fitzsimons and Dr Reihaneh Aghamolaei from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
A project involving Dr Lorna Fitzsimons and Dr Reihaneh Aghamolaei from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering has secured €460,000 in funding under the SEAI National Energy Research Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Funding Call 2023.

The SEAI National Energy Research Development and Demonstration (RD&D) Funding Programme invests in innovative energy RD&D projects which contribute to Ireland's transition to a clean and secure energy future.

Under the RD&D programme, a total of 40 new research projects have been awarded €20M in government funding. Successful RD&D awards include small, medium, and large-scale projects, as well as academic fellowships, supporting a broad range of energy research across Ireland. SEAI’s National Energy RD&D Funding Programme is supported by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and aims to enhance collaboration across a wide range of stakeholders and believes in promoting multidisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and interdisciplinary research approaches.

Dr Lorna Fitzsimons and Dr Reihaneh Aghamolaei are involved in the ALIGN (Aligning Energy Policy with Lived Experience to Deliver Interdisciplinary Solutions to Alleviate Energy Poverty) project. The ALIGN project is a collaborative initiative between DCU, Maynooth University (MU), University College Dublin (UCD), and the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) which is led by Dr James McGrath at Maynooth University (MU).

The ALIGN project aims to bridge the gap between energy policy and real-world experiences, offering interdisciplinary solutions to address energy poverty in Ireland and Europe. Dr Lorna Fitzsimons and Dr Reihaneh Aghamolae are excited about the potential impact of this project and the valuable contributions from their esteemed collaborators.

Speaking about the ALIGN project, Dr Lorna Fitzsimons said:

 "Decarbonising the Irish residential heat load is an essential part of the journey to climate neutrality, but it must encompass the principles of the just transition framework. This exciting project combines building energy engineering, economics and the social sciences to investigate and mitigate energy poverty challenges in Ireland."

Dr Reihaneh Aghamolaei said:

In addressing Energy Poverty, a critical challenge lies in comprehending the complexity of interconnecting factors, including improving energy performance, financial support schemes, and behavioural changes. This novel project will implement advanced data-driven methods for evaluating Energy Poverty strategies, considering these trade-offs.