Gas Innovation Fund

Innovation in the Gas Industry

The Gas Innovation Fund is intended to promote and encourage an environment of innovation in the gas industry. Gas Networks Ireland wishes to engage with key stakeholders in order to share knowledge and leverage the best use of all resources for innovation. It is intended that the Gas Innovation Fund will foster creativity, tailor innovation and consider solutions that meet gas industry needs, embedding innovation in the Gas Networks Ireland organisation and the gas industry.

The Gas Innovation Fund:

Following CRU approval, Gas Networks Ireland set up the Gas innovation Fund to support innovation in the gas industry. This Innovation Fund has operated through previous price controls (PC3 and PC4), and is currently continuing under Price Control 5 (PC5).

PC5 Innovation Fund

The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) in its decision paper ‘CRU Decision on the PC5 Regulatory Framework Decision Paper’  set out its decision for the arrangements for the Innovation Fund for the PC5  period. The CRU proposed total innovation funding of €5.3m. This comprised a strategic innovation fund (SIF) pot of €1.5m and a €3.8m innovation pot to fund a network-based innovation fund (NBIF) and project management costs across the two innovation pots (€400k over PC5). The NBIF pot will further best practice in running gas networks and a €1.5m funding cap was set for innovation projects relating to FROG initiatives.

The objective of the SIF is to be a research-led allowance, with a proposed collaboration with Taighde Éireann – Research Ireland using a challenge funding approach for €1.2m of the allowance. The remaining funding component of the SIF (€0.3m) is intended to cover co-funded research with other reputable research bodies.

The CRU has provided the following objectives for the PC5 innovation fund:

• providing a safe high-quality service for all gas customers;
• a continued focus on efficient spend;
• efficiently facilitating the energy transition with a particular focus on decarbonisation;
• effectively identifying suitable projects for co-funding;
• enhancing the GNI innovation webpage in order to attract suitable applicants;
• maintaining a safe and resilient gas network; and
• effective dissemination of all research and innovation outcomes.

The CRU has published a decision paper and user guide relating to the implementation of the Price Control 5 (PC5) Regulatory Framework. A detailed explanation of how the innovation aspect of the framework will be implemented is presented in the Price Control 5 Regulatory Framework User Guide.

Call for Innovation Steering Independent Members and associated consultation

Gas Networks Ireland has published a document seeking applications for the role of independent member of  the Innovation Steering Group (ISG) which acts as the governance board for the Innovation Fund. Also, comments are invited on the governance arrangements for the innovation fund and the proposals for the appointment of two independent members for a term until October 2027. Consultation feedback and independent member applications to be submitted to Gas Networks Ireland by 31 January 2025.

For all interested parties please see the application form and further details here. Please submit applications to innovationfund@gasnetworks.ie

Projects

You can view a list of completed PC4 Innovation Projects here.

The CRU has published an Innovation Reporting Framework and as part of this framework Gas Networks Ireland is required to provide an annual report to the CRU for each gas year of the price control. The annual report outlines the activities of the Gas Innovation Fund for that particular time period.

Please send any questions relating to the Gas Innovation Fund to the following email address: innovation@gasnetworks.ie.