Phase
Seed
Funding
Strategic (Research Ireland Innovation Challenge)
Problem to address
Many types of plastic can be recycled but some are harder to recycle than others. Plastics that are dirty, mixed with other materials or contaminated with food and oils can be too costly to process through existing recycling methods. As a result, they often ends up as waste.
Instead of being discarded, these types of plastics could be used to produce hydrogen. This could reduce waste and provide a local source of renewable energy.
The proposal
O.P.P.O.R.T.U.N.I.T.Y investigates converting hard to recycle plastics into hydrogen or other useful chemicals. It focuses on plastics that are contaminated, dirty or mixed with other materials. Researchers will explore how advanced technology can break these plastics down into reusable blocks.
The goal is not to replace traditional recycling, but to complement it by providing another option for difficult plastics. This approach could reduce waste and find use for discarded materials.
Meet the O.P.P.O.R.T.U.N.I.T.Y team
Dr. Conor Boland
Dr. Conor S. Boland is an Assistant Professor of Materials Science in the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at...
Dr. Conor Boland
Dr. Conor S. Boland is an Assistant Professor of Materials Science in the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Dublin City University, and Deputy Director of Innovation at the RAPID Institute.
His research focuses on liquid processed nanomaterials, printable and stretchable electronics, and soft sensor systems for applications in healthcare, sustainability and advanced manufacturing. His group develops materials processing routes that connect nanoscale structure to macroscopic device performance, with a particular interest in scalable, low waste approaches to functional electronic materials.
Dr. James Carton
Dr. James Carton is an Associate Professor at the UCD School of Mechanical & Materials, Engineering, University College Dublin. He...
Dr. James Carton
Dr. James Carton is an Associate Professor at the UCD School of Mechanical & Materials, Engineering, University College Dublin. He is actively involved with energy-related education, research and development, supervising and mentoring several doctoral and postdoctoral researchers.
The main aim of Dr. Carton's research team is to develop a better understanding of the technologies, strategies and economic models required to achieve a transition off fossil fuels use. His research covers Sustainable Energy Systems including renewable energy deployment, hydrogen technologies, renewable energy storage, techno & socio-economic analysis & energy policy. Dr. Carton is the Principal Investigator of ongoing research projects with Irish & EU academic & industry partners and government bodies such as Research Ireland. He is also a board member of the Hydrogen Ireland Association, a position that helps him understand the industry's interests and direction within a European and Global context.
Dr. Carton is an International Energy Agency task force expert on Hydrogen Materials for Energy Storage Task 51 & previous International Energy Agency task force expert on Underground Hydrogen Storage Task 42. He is a former advisor to the World Energy Council Hydrogen taskforce and former hydrogen expert to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe taskforce on the role of hydrogen in attaining carbon neutrality in the UNECE region.
Dr. May-Line Grapotte
Dr. May-Line Grapotte holds an Engineering and Master's degree in Chemical Engineering from Pau University and a Ph.D. in Organometallic...
Dr. May-Line Grapotte
Dr. May-Line Grapotte holds an Engineering and Master's degree in Chemical Engineering from Pau University and a Ph.D. in Organometallic Chemistry from INSA Toulouse. Her research focuses on hydrogen technologies, functional materials, and sustainable chemical processes, with expertise in experimental design, test-bench development, and high-pressure gas handling. Through her doctoral research, conducted in collaboration with an industrial partner, she worked on materials and process optimization for hydrogen applications, translating laboratory research into practical engineering solutions.
Throughout her work, May-Line has specialized in process optimization, advanced materials characterization, and data analysis. She has contributed to peer-reviewed scientific publications and presented her research at international conferences in the fields of materials science, chemistry, and energy.
Currently a Postdoctoral Researcher at Dublin City University (DCU), her research is part of the O.P.P.O.R.T.U.N.I.T.Y. project, co-funded by Research Ireland and Gas Networks Ireland. She focuses on the development, experimental design, and optimization of low-energy hydrolytic and photocatalytic processes using advanced nanosheet catalysts to upcycle PET plastic waste into green hydrogen and high-value chemical co-products, directly supporting circular economy goals and low-carbon energy transition.
Sevda Sabernia
Sevda Sabernia holds a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and a Master's degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering from Dublin...
Sevda Sabernia
Sevda Sabernia holds a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering and a Master's degree in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering from Dublin City University (DCU). Her research focuses on the environmental and economic assessment of hydrogen production technologies, with particular expertise in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA). Through the EPA-funded HEAR project, she has evaluated and compared a range of hydrogen production pathways, including water electrolysis, steam methane reforming, and methane pyrolysis, providing evidence to support the transition towards sustainable and low-carbon hydrogen systems.
Throughout her research, Sevda has collaborated with a range of industrial and research stakeholders, including Gas Networks Ireland (GNI) and the NexSys programme, contributing to projects that bridge academic research with industry needs. She has presented her work at several national and international events, including the World Hydrogen Technologies Convention (WHTC 2025) and the Hydrogen Ireland Conference, and has contributed to peer-reviewed publications in the fields of hydrogen and sustainable energy.
Her current research is part of the O.P.P.O.R.T.U.N.I.T.Y. project, funded by Research Ireland and Gas Networks Ireland, which is developing a novel low-energy hydrolytic and photocatalytic process, enabled by advanced nanosheet catalysts, to convert PET plastic waste into hydrogen and value-added co-products, supporting the transition to a circular economy and renewable fuel production.
Meet our Innovation Steering Members
Professor Clive Deadman
Clive began his career as an engineer in the African mining and UK automotive sectors. He then spent nine years...
Professor Clive Deadman
Clive began his career as an engineer in the African mining and UK automotive sectors. He then spent nine years in private equity, working with investors and innovators to grow a range of new ventures in energy, environmental services and clinical care. He later spent 20 years with United Utilities (£100 billion assets) and Electricity North West (£20 billion assets).
In recent years Clive has written two books and served as Chair and Non-executive Director of several regulatory and asset-owning organisations, as well as Professor of Water and Energy at Cranfield University.
He has extensive experience of living and working internationally.
PJ Rudden
With an honours degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UCD, PJ Rudden has over 40 years’ experience in gas,...
PJ Rudden
With an honours degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UCD, PJ Rudden has over 40 years’ experience in gas, water and waste management. In 2020, he was appointed Chair of the Construction Sector Group (CSG) Subgroup in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and an External Member of the Project Ireland 2040 Delivery Board reporting to the Minister.
The Gas 2025 Report by (Sofregaz/MCOS/Penspen/JPKenny) published in 2000 recommended several pipeline supply options including a Second Gas Interconnector and a Gas Pipeline to the West from Dublin-Athlone-Galway-Limerick which resulted in a total pipeline length of 335km, the longest pipeline in the Irish state.
Another major project around this time was Dublin Waste to Energy Project which was designed to replace many depleted landfills around the country and to replace these with a state-of-the-art thermal treatment plant at Poolbeg in Dublin Port with a future possibility now of a district heating project in the Docklands area.
P J Rudden sought to explore gas innovation in UK with Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) who were responsible for Scotland and Southern England south of the River Thames and tendered successfully for Network Innovation Competition (NIC) with the Regulator Ofgem. The project comprised the design, manufacture and field testing of new inspection and repair robots. The breakthrough robotic systems were developed to allow gas utilities to identify mains and extend the life of large diameter cast iron pipeline infrastructure.
In 2006, P J Rudden was also appointed by the National Standards Authority of Ireland to chair the TC 5 Committee to update Irish Gas Standard IS 328. The TC5 Committee completely updated the new document which was finally published in 2021.
He was also Project Director for the Irish Scottish Links Energy Study (ISLES) for the Governments of Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland (2010-2014) which led transboundary policy formulation across Regulatory, Market, Technology, Environmental and Planning workstreams for the future development of offshore energy (wind, wave and tidal). He reported directly to the Head of Energy, Scottish Government and to the ISLES Technical Committee of the three Governments and presented the recommendations to the three Ministers meeting in Glasgow in 2014.
Throughout his career, he was also President of Engineers Ireland and President of the UCD Engineering Graduates Association. He was also Director of the EU Commission Secretaire for the European Green Capital Award for the most sustainable cities across Europe.