Only two weeks left for third-level students to apply for EirGrid’s CleanerGrid Competition

Time is running out for third-level students across Ireland to showcase their vision for the future of the country’s energy sector. Students are invited to apply for the EirGrid CleanerGrid Competition 2024, with applications due to close on Thursday 31st October.

Now in its second year, the CleanerGrid competition, run by EirGrid, the operator and developer of Ireland’s electricity grid, aims to foster innovation and creativity by encouraging students to showcase their skills in solving critical energy challenges, with a focus on sustainability, efficiency and clean energy technologies.

With a top prize of €12,000 (€6,000 for the winning student team and €6,000 for the student’s third-level institute), this year’s theme asks students to “Present your vision of what the growing energy sector will need to look like in 2050 to have sustainably achieved net-zero emissions”.

Entrants should show how the grid will need to change to allow for more renewable sources and less synchronous generation; including what government policies will need to be in place, how the economy will be affected, how the grid will need to adapt, how technology can help achieve this goal, or any other relevant points they identify in order to create a resilient energy system for the future.

Jack Brady was a member of the winning team for the 2023/24 CleanerGrid Competition and has now joined the EirGrid Graduate Programme. He encourages students from all disciplines to enter the competition.

“The CleanerGrid competition with EirGrid is a great opportunity to take the skills you learn in college and apply them to a real-world problem. It is not just about the theory; you need to look at the practical aspects of your idea and how they would be applied. This is not exclusive to engineering students, we need to hear how the electricity system can be future proofed from a range of perspectives.

“The competition gave me an insight into renewable energy and the grid, which I would not have had otherwise, and it inspired me to then apply for EirGrid’s Graduate Programme following my graduation from TU Dublin. I would encourage anyone with an interest in sustainability, energy, renewables or just solving big world challenges to apply for the competition for the chance to showcase your abilities, and potentially kick-start your career.”

The competition is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students, below PhD level, from all disciplines at any third-level institution in the Republic of Ireland. Students can take part by signing up at EirGrid.ie/CleanerGrid as part of a team of up to six members. Applications close on the 31st October.

The top entrants will be invited to EirGrid’s head offices to present their innovations to industry experts including members of the EirGrid senior management team.