€15m research lab to turn Ireland into energy leader

Ireland is poised to become a global leader in research into harnessing wave, tidal, and wind energy, Taoiseach Enda Kenny predicted as he turned the sod on a €15m research lab.

“Ireland for too long turned its back on the sea. We are now facing into that,” Mr Kenny said as building work is set to begin on the Beaufort Centre maritime energy research lab in Cork Harbour.

It is being built by University College Cork next to the National Maritime College of Ireland in Cork Harbour as part of the Irish Maritime and Energy Resource Cluster campus plan at Haulbowline.