Dr. Brian O GallachoirDr. Denis LavigneDr. Ullash Kumar RoutMs Aoife FoleyCaiman CahillDenis DineenHannah DalyPatrick Calnan Up to Previous Menu

Biography

Current Position:

Dr. Brian Ó Gallachóir is a Lecturer in Energy Engineering in University College Cork and Principal Investigator of Energy Policy and Modelling Research in the Environmental Research Institute. Brian co-ordinates of UCC's taught Masters Programme (MEngSc) in Sustainable Energy and co-instigator of UCC's BE Degree in Energy Engineering. An applied sciences graduate of Dublin Institue of Technology, Brian moved to Cork in 1990 to carry out a Doctoral research programme in ocean wave energy in the Department of Applied Mathematics. From 1995 - 1998, Brian was Technical Manager of the Renewable Energy Information Office of Sustainable Energy Ireland. His research group focuses on modelling sectoral energy demand and energy efficiency and building a TIMES energy systems model for Ireland to inform energy and climate policy. Brian is also a Strategic Advisor to Sustainable Energy Ireland's Energy Policy Statistical Support Unit and SEI’s Energy Modelling Group.

Membership of National and International Working Groups

• Elected Member Royal Irish Academy Climate Change Committee (from 2009)
• National Delegate to IEA Energy Systems Modelling (ETSAP) Executive Committee since 2008
• Member Technical Analysis Steering Group to Cabinet Committee on Energy Security and Climate Change (from 2008)
• Member Irish Energy Research Council (from 2006)
• Member Renewable Energy Development Group’s Short Term Action Group in 2004.
• National Delegate to DGTREN Energy Economic Analysts Expert Group since 2003
• National Delegate to EUROSTAT Energy Committee (2001 – 2004)
• Member of DPE Steering Group on the Grid Upgrade Development Programme for Renewable Energy (2002)
• Member National Climate Change Team Inventory Data Users Group (2001 – 2002)
• Facilitator, Ministerial Renewable Energy Strategy Group (1999 – 2000)
• Member Ministerial Working Group on Grid Connection Issues Relating to Renewable Energies (1996 – 1998)
• Member, Department of Public Enterprise Working Group on Energy Statistics (1998 –1999)
• Member Department of Environment & Local Government Steering Group on Sustainable Development Indicators (1999)

Publications

Recent Publications (For a full set of publications click Publications)

Peer Reviewed Journal papers

1. Cahill C and Ó Gallachóír B. P.  (In Review) “Comparing ODEX with LMDI to measure energy efficiency trends” Submitted to Energy Efficiency, August 2009.
2. Deane J. P., Ó Gallachóír B. P. and McKeogh E.J. (In Review) “Techno-Economic Review of Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Plants” submitted to Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, September, 2009.
3. Ó Gallachóir B. P., Howley M., Cunningham S. & Bazilian M. 2009 How Changing Car Fleet Structure Offset Engine Efficiency Gains and the Successful Energy Policy Response - Case Study on New Private Cars in Ireland. Energy Policy Special Issue Carbon in Motion 37 3790 - 3802. 
4. Hull D., Ó Gallachóir B. P. and Walker N. 2009 Development of a modelling framework in response to new European energy efficiency regulatory obligations: the Irish experience. Energy Policy 37 5363 - 5375.
5. Tuohy A., Bazilian M., Doherty R., Ó Gallachóir B. P. and O'Malley M 2009 Burning Peat in Ireland: An Electricity Market Dispatch Perspective. Energy Policy 37 3035 - 3042.

Peer Reviewed Conference Papers

1. Foley A. M., Ó Gallachóir B. P., Leahy P. and McKeogh E.J. 2009 Electric Vehicles and Energy Storage – a case study on Ireland. Proceedings IEEE International Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference, September 7-11, 2009, Dearborn, Michigan.
2. Foley A. M., Ó Gallachóir B. P., Hur J., Baldrick R. and McKeogh E. J. 2009 A Strategic Assessment of Electricity Systems Models. Proceedings of SEEP2009, 12-15 August 2009, Dublin, Ireland.
3. Ó Gallachóir B. P. and Cahill C. 2009 Modelling energy consumption in a manufacturing plant using productivity KPIs Proceedings of the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ECEEE) Summer School 1–6 June 2009, Côte d'Azur, France.
4. Cahill C. and Ó Gallachóir B. P. 2009 Comparing the use of ODEX indicators with Divisia decomposition analysis to measure true energy efficiency achievements: Case study Irish industry. Proceedings of the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ECEEE) Summer School 1–6 June 2009, Côte d'Azur, France

Other

1. Howley M. & Ó Gallachóir B. P. 2009 Understanding Electricity and Gas Prices in Ireland – 2 ^nd Semester (July - December) 2009. Report published by Sustainable Energy Ireland.
2. Dennehy E., Howley M., Ó Gallachóir B. 2009 Energy Efficiency in Ireland 2009 Report. Report published by Sustainable Energy Ireland
3. Ó Gallachóir B. P., Bazilian M. & McKeogh E. J. 2009 Wind Energy Policy Development in Ireland A Critical Analysis. Chapter 8 in Wind Power and Power Politics ISBN: 978-0-415-96130-1 Routledge Press
4. Howley M., Ó Gallachóir B. P. & Dennehy E. 2009 The greening of the vehicle registration tax (VRT) and the annual motor system in Ireland . Presentation to ODYSSEE-MURE EU-27 Workshop on Monitoring of Energy Demand Trends and Energy Efficiency in the EU May 18 – 19th 2009 Paris
5. Howley M., Ó Gallachóir B. P. & Dennehy E. 2008 Energy in Ireland 2008 Report. Report published by Sustainable Energy Ireland.

Research Interests:

• techno-economic energy modelling 1990 – 2020 to inform energy policy;
• TIMES energy systems modelling 2005 – 2050 to deliver least cots energy subject to policy targets;
• evaluating measures to deliver key sustainable energy policy targets;

• sectoral analysis of energy consumption patterns in Ireland;

Current Projects:

Energy Systems Modelling – Irish TIMES
Research Funding: Environmental Protection Agency CCRP 2008 3.1
Duration of Research: April 2009 – September 2011
In collaboration with: ESRI (Economic and Social Research Institute)
Funding: € 428,951
Post Doctorates: Dr Ullash Kumar Rout and Dr Denis Lavigne

Modelling Energy Efficiency in Industry
Research Funding: Sustainable Energy Ireland
Duration of Funding: February 2008 – January 2011
Funding: € 100,000
PhD Student: Caiman Cahill

Modelling Energy Demand in the Residential Sector
Research Funding: IRCSET
Duration of Funding: October 2009 – September 2012
Funding: € 72,009
PhD Student: Denis Dineen

Modelling Private Car Transport Energy
Funding Source: IRCSET
Funding: € 24,003
Duration: October 2009 – Sept 2010
MEngSc Student: Hannah Daly

Completed projects:

Conflicts between Energy Policy Objectives and NCCS in Ireland , a research project funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, through the Environmental RTDI Programme. The aim of this project is to inform the successful implementation of the National Climate Change Strategy. This will be realised by increasing knowledge and addressing key information gaps surrounding the interactions between energy policies and the NCCS measures relating to the electricity supply sector.

Study on the Economic Analysis of RE Support Mechanisms in the Electricity Generation Sector , a research project funded by  Sustainable Energy Ireland under its Renewable Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Programme. The study is co-ordinated by the Energy Economics Group in Vienna University of Technology and the other project partners are Ecofys and Distributed Energy Compnay. It provides a detailed technical, economic, financial and regulatoy analysis of the various market based renewable energy support mechanisms the may be employed to meet Irish RE targets going forward. See Final Report

Measuring and Monitoring the Sustainability of Energy Trends, a research project funded by the Higher Education Authority, under the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions. This is one of 5 projects under the strategic research area Sustainable Energy which is itself one of 9 areas around which UCC's Environmental Research Institute will be built.

Modules delivered:

NE-1001 - Introduction to Energy Engineering and Energy Policy
Module Objective: To introduce the discipline of energy engineering. To explore the challenges facing, and solutions found by, energy engineers. To introduce students to energy policy and the interaction between energy policy and energy engineering.
Module Content: Definition of energy engineering. Sources of energy. Units and Conversion Factors. Chemical energy, mechanical energy, electrical energy. Thermal energy and transport energy. Energy trends and impacts. Energy policy formation. Drivers of energy policy. Energy policy in the EU. Energy policy in Ireland. Introduction to ICT in Energy Engineering.

CE-3016 - Sustainable Energy
Module Objective: To introduce the concept of sustainable energy and the interaction between cost competitiveness, security of supply and environmental responsibility. To make students aware of the link between energy and the environment, with a particular focus on climate change. To provide students with the basic tools to assess energy trends and their policy implications. Introduce the topics of energy policy and economics. Introduce renewable energy sources and technologies.
Module Content: Definition of sustainable energy. Global and regional energy trends in terms of fuel supply and sectoral consumption. Electrical, transport and thermal energy consumption. Energy end use. Pillars of sustainable energy policy. Environmental impacts of energy. Climate Change. Transboundary gas emissions. Security of energy supply. Cost competitiveness. Policy instruments. Energy efficiency indicators. Socio-economic assessment of energy supply systems. An overview of renewable energy technologies and their role in sustainable energy. Renewable energy market development. Fuel cells and the hydrogen economy.

CE-6007 - Energy Systems Modelling
Module Objective: To teach students about energy systems and how to model them. To introduce software packages for energy systems modelling.
Module Content: Hybrid renewable energy systems. Technical, economic and market modelling Stand alone energy systems. Grid connected energy systems. Introduction to MATLAB Simulink and PLEXOS model. Energy storage systems. Energy supply components and load classification characteristics. Matching demand with supply within different markets and technological constraints. Optimising of system efficiency and overall economics.

EV2913 - Energy and the Environment
Module Objective: To introduce the various sources of energy, their exploitation and environmental impacts.
Module Content: Traditional energy practices and their environmental impacts (wind, water, peat, wood, coal, oil, natural gas). Nuclear energy and its environmental impacts (fission, fusion, radiation, radon). Renewable energy resources.