Latest Electrical Stories
Wastewater treatment and anaerobic digestion – bridging the skills gapFebruary 6, 2018
Matt Smyth looks at the challenges faced by employers to meet the demand for skilled workers in engineering and science, and the investment required to deliver upon Ireland’s ambitions for renewable energy generation and compliance with environmental standards
From agriculture to mass consumerism – the benefits of biomassJanuary 23, 2018
In the second of a three-part series, Michael O’Halloran calls for a second ‘Green Revolution’ and says biomass production on a global scale must be the immediate priority of any global climate-energy strategy
Energy landscape – an overview of strategic issues for IrelandJanuary 23, 2018
Eric Khoo examines the strategic issues in Ireland's energy industry, such as the potential effects of Brexit, I-SEM and climate-change policies, and outlines how we must adapt to the changing environment
The climate-energy problem: if we fail to plan, we plan to failJanuary 9, 2018
In the first of a three-part series, Michael O’Halloran outlines the macroeconomic fact that the global economy is dependent on 95 million barrels of irreplaceable oil every day and we are sleepwalking into climatic and economic disaster
Sustainable developments in the use of anaerobic digestion to treat wastewaterJanuary 9, 2018
Seamus Crickley writes that mainstream anaerobic digestion has been the foremost wastewater development in recent years and is worth the judicious process design required for application in wastewater polishing
Climate change: exploring a citizen-centric paradigmJanuary 9, 2018
Ireland's energy landscape is facing a significant transformation. Paul O’Brien writes that the challenge for the Irish Government is to implement policy mechanisms to drive positive behaviours by rewarding energy citizens
Robert Halpin – the Wicklow master mariner who connected the worldDecember 5, 2017
Wicklow native Robert Halpin became a sailor aged just 11, survived a shipwreck at 15, ran blockades during the American Civil War, saved lives and helped lay the first trans-Atlantic cable. Kenneth Mitchell reports on his extraordinary life
Why are wind turbines always painted white?December 5, 2017
Wind turbines are both despised and beloved, but why are they always painted white? Not only does it increase their lifespan, but from ground level it helps them blend in, while from the air it helps them stand out. Christopher Madden reports
Power quality in HVAC systems – keeping cool when things get hotDecember 5, 2017
Steve Hughes writes that poor power quality can damage HVAC components including heat exchangers, fans, pump motors, condensers and furnaces, reducing their lifespan and raising energy costs
Let there be light: ESB’s archives shed light on the electrification of IrelandNovember 21, 2017
On ESB's 90th anniversary, Deirdre McParland recounts the technical challenges and innovation behind the 1929 Shannon Scheme and the 1946 Rural Electrification Scheme, which by 1978 had connected over one million Irish homes and businesses to the network
‘Humanity’s future is in the hands of engineers’ – entrepreneur Seán O’SullivanNovember 21, 2017
Investor, philanthropist, innovator, inventor and all-round Renaissance man, Seán O’Sullivan is a man of many titles. The entrepreneur tells Barry Brophy why his electrical-engineering education was a privilege that afforded him the chance to change the world for the better
Everything you need to know about copper busbarsNovember 7, 2017
David Chapman and Prof Toby Norris offer guidance on the design and installation of copper busbars for electrical distribution-system design engineers seeking to design efficient, economic and reliable busbar systems
Eirgrid’s energy scenarios – planning to power Ireland’s futureNovember 7, 2017
Marie Hayden explains how EirGrid has devised four different energy scenarios detailing its plans for the development of the transmission grid and for Ireland’s future energy needs in these turbulent times
Budget 2018 milestones – climate action for competitiveness and environmental qualityOctober 24, 2017
Two measures in Budget 2018, relating to the Renewable Heat Incentive and low-emission transport, mark milestones in Irish public policy on climate action. However, there is criticism that they do not go far enough, writes Pádraic Ó hUiginn
EU-SysFlex – integrating large-scale renewables to the European gridOctober 24, 2017
The €20 million EU-SysFlex project, led by EirGrid, aims to identify issues associated with integrating large amounts of renewable energy and create a roadmap to facilitate the large-scale integration of renewable energy
Transport solar cells represent ‘next wave’ of renewables technologyOctober 24, 2017
See-through solar materials that can be applied to windows represent a massive source of untapped energy and could harvest as much power as bigger, bulkier rooftop solar units
Fusing transport, technology and energy – engineering an Irish revolutionOctober 10, 2017
With energy efficiency and transport technology predicted to fuel economic growth for the next 50 years, Dr Kieran Feighan outlines some amazing advances in development relating to energy storage, alternative fuels, autonomous vehicles and road surfacing
Power loss minimisation in distribution networks using fuzzy approach for system configurationOctober 10, 2017
Pat Moriarty and Sameh Noufal present an optimisation technique algorithm to minimise real power-line losses in medium-voltage distribution networks, which handles system constraints accurately based on heuristic rules and a fuzzy multiobjective approach
Harnessing energy to improve mobility – and conquer the worldSeptember 26, 2017
In the first part of his presidential address, Engineers Ireland president Dr Kieran Feighan outlines how harnessing energy to improve mobility has been the foundation for the development of many of the great empires in the world over the course of history
Brexit uncertainty: what are the implications for the energy sector?September 12, 2017
Paul Deane, Steve Pye and Carole Mathieu explore the implications of Brexit for energy policy in the UK and Ireland, considering infrastructure investment, energy markets and interconnection, legislative uncertainty and political influence