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Together, the projects represent €2.3 million in European investment, and will support digital innovation, sustainability and regional development across rural and remote regions of the Northern Periphery and Arctic area.
RE-SPRINGS - Rural Energy Sharing Providing Resilience, Innovation & Green Solutions is a 30-month project led by ERNACT, working with organisations from Ireland (Donegal County Council and Údarás na Gaeltachta), Finland (Jamk University of Applied Sciences) and Sweden (Sollefteå Municipality). With a total budget of €1.25 million, the project will focus on strengthening energy resilience and security in County Donegal (Ireland), Västernorrland (Sweden) and Jyväskylä (Finland).
The project will pilot innovative approaches to local energy sharing and renewable energy integration. For example, in County Donegal, partners will test the use of private wire infrastructure to transfer surplus renewable energy and recovered heat from industrial enterprises to power and heat nearby public buildings.
DC NEST - Data Centre NPA Ecosystem is a 30-month project led by Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (Finland), with ERNACT participating alongside organisations from Iceland (Association of Municipalities in South Iceland) and Sweden (Umeå University). Donegal County Council also participates as an Associate Partner. With a total budget of €1.05 million, the project will support public authorities in assessing regional development opportunities associated with sustainable data centre ecosystems.
Through DC NEST, ERNACT will contribute expertise in digital transformation, regional innovation and European cooperation. The project will also build on the experience of Donegal Digital, a public-private partnership led by Donegal County Council supporting digital transformation and innovation-led development.
Speaking about the approvals, Cllr Martin Reilly, Chairperson of ERNACT, said:
“We are delighted to receive approval for two new Interreg NPA projects. Both RE-SPRINGS and DC NEST demonstrate the value of European cooperation in helping our region respond to major challenges and opportunities. Through these projects, we will work with our partners to develop practical solutions that strengthen our local communities, support innovation and contribute to sustainable regional development.”
Dr Caitriona Strain, General Manager of ERNACT, added:
“These approvals are a strong endorsement of ERNACT’s ability to develop and participate in high-quality European projects that address real regional needs. They create opportunities for our regions to attract investment, build expertise and test innovative approaches in areas that are increasingly important for future competitiveness, including energy resilience, digital infrastructure and the green transition”.
The approval of RE-SPRINGS and DC NEST further strengthens ERNACT’s portfolio of European cooperation projects and reinforces its role in bringing digital innovation, investment and international collaboration opportunities to the North West region and beyond.