Next Generation Energy Systems

The NexSys Strategic Partnership Programme comprises nine RPOs, collaborating with nine co-funding industry partners and 1 philanthropic donor (as shown in Fig X) who will work together to meet the unprecedented scale and complexity of the challenges associated with the transition to a net Zero carbon energy system by 2050. NexSys harnesses a new All-Island academic partnership comprising forty six academics with a diverse range of expertise to deliver a whole-of-system approach to the optimization of the energy system. In some instances, NexSys paves the way as a first approach in bringing Ireland’s leading researchers together such as in the Transport Strand. Currently, no active cross-university interdisciplinary research centre/programme for transport research on the island of Ireland exists and NexSys seeks to bridge this gap. NexSys also uniquely brings together prominent stakeholders from the Irish energy sector (energy system operators and grid asset owners, transport authority, energy developers and suppliers, financial institutions, data centre developers and international research institutes) many of whom have been tasked with turning the pledges they have made to turn net zero over the coming decades into action. NexSys will establish itself as the premier research programme to help these stakeholders play a key leadership role in the transition, providing decarbonisation solutions, shaping energy policy with evidence based analysis and improving public understanding all of which will underpin the drive to sustainability. The partnership programme approach with strong philanthropic support allows NexSys to deliver fundamental research at lower TRLs for longer term impact, while also delivering shorter term solutions for our co-funding partners.