With a commitment to halve emissions by 2030 and net-zero emissions no later than 2050, Ireland needs to consider how best to transition to sustainable energy. Russell Smyth explains how R&D can help
A renewed ambition for an emission-free future—sparked by the launch of the Irish government's Climate Action Plan in 2021—has led to a rise in sustainable research and development (R&D) in both the public and private sectors. This R&D explores innovation as a means to support our transition to a low-carbon economy and utilise surplus energy, and these projects are not just about increasing yield, but also improving sustainability.
The energy sector is increasingly looking at ways to come up with greener alternative fuel solutions. Mechanical and electrical engineering firms are examining ways to reuse waste products from large-scale industries, for example, with one Irish company researching methods of heating homes by recycling the hot water waste product generated from cooling data centres.
In agriculture, several companies are working on using hydroponic farming—growing plants without soil—to produce nutritionally dense food. Hydroponic farming has the potential to be a much more energy-efficient way of producing food while also tackling issues like species conservation, land usage, soil pollution and deforestation.
R&D and Ireland's climate targets
Agricultural emissions are one of Ireland's biggest climate challenges, with proven technologies already in use only achieving an estimated 20 percent reduction in emissions. Unlike other sectors, which have identifiable net-zero pathways, agriculture relies on R&D and innovation to achieve a credible net-zero journey. This makes it a high-priority area for R&D investment.
Furthermore, Ireland has highly ambitious home retrofit targets, with the retrofit scheme aiming to bring 500,000 homes up to a minimum B2 standard by 2030. Progress to date suggests this target will prove challenging using existing labour- and capital-intensive retrofit models. Significant innovation and R&D is required here.
Opportunities for future activity
AgriTech
Advances in technology in agriculture could substantially help to reduce greenhouse gases. Machine-learning algorithms are being applied to increase farming efficiency through yield prediction, weed and disease detection, livestock welfare and water management, for example.
In Ireland, several companies are preparing to bringing concepts such as computer vision, edge computing and the Internet of Things into arable and livestock farming.
Quantum computing
Though a novel field, some thought leaders in quantum computing believe that carbon emissions could be reduced using two-state-based systems — specifically, creating new complex chemicals, drugs and enzymes to reduce industrial carbon output.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai believes that quantum computing could be used to come up with a replacement for the Haber Process—an artificial nitrogen fixation process responsible for around two percent of global carbon emissions—within the next ten years.
Agricultural gene editing and selective breeding
As we face a radically changing climate, food shortages will become one of society's biggest problems. Gene editing and the selective breeding of plants could offer several potential benefits here, including greater yield, higher nutritional quality and improved disease tolerance.
While the EU currently prohibits gene editing, the EU Commission launched a public consultation concerning plants produced using new genomic technology in April 2022. The results of this consultation could see the EU's stance on gene editing in agriculture change, opening Europe up to a new and rapidly expanding field of R&D.
Russell Smyth is Head of Sustainable Futures at KPMG