Stephen Murphy, a student from Ardattin, Co. Carlow, has claimed the top prize at the second annual EirGrid CleanerGrid Competition.
Stephen along with teammates Ruairí Collins and Eoin Duffy, won the €12,000 prize for their innovative proposal on using pumped hydro energy storage to manage the variability of wind and solar energy.
The competition, which focuses on achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, saw finalists from universities across Ireland present groundbreaking ideas for a sustainable energy future.
Mr Murphy and his team’s proposal was selected for its potential to enhance the management and integration of renewable energy sources into Ireland’s grid.
As part of the prize, half of the €12,000 will go to the students, while the remaining half will be awarded to their university, University College Dublin (UCD). The competition continues to inspire new generations of students to develop creative solutions for a cleaner, more sustainable energy system.
