Date: 

Wednesday

27th September 2023

Time:

13:00-14:00

Venue:

Sustainable Futures Lab,

Iris Ashley Cummins Building, UCC

and Online (MS Teams)

Michael Williamson

 Section Chief, United Nations Energy Division, Economic asnd Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

Title: Energy Transition in the Asia-Pacific region – the road to a sustainable energy future

Abstract: 

The Asia-Pacific region is the most dynamic of the global regions, accounting for more than half of the world’s energy consumption. To a great extent, the future of climate change mitigation and the energy transition hinges on what happens in this region. There are some important dimensions to explore in this presentation. How is the Asia-Pacific region faring on SDG7 in its quest to reach universal access to modern energy, energy efficiency and renewable energy? What are the key pressure points facing countries and how are these experienced differently by developing compared to their developed country counterparts? And critically, what is the outlook for the region reaching net zero emissions by 2050? Lastly what are the lessons that the Asia-Pacific region can learn from Ireland and EU countries in their energy transition?

Date:

Wednesday

22nd March 2023

Time:

13:00-14:00,

Venue:

Sustainable Futures Lab,

Iris Ashley Cummins Building, UCC

Jerry D Murphy

Director of MaREI, the SFI Centre for Energy, Climate and Marine

Professor Chair of Civil Engineering in University College Cork 

View Biography

Title: How will we maximise the offshore wind resource for the benefit of Ireland? 

Abstract:

The revised Climate Action Plan includes for a target of 7 GW of off shore wind by 2030; this is equivalent to 467 number 15 MW turbines in our waters in 7 years’ time. This industry should lead to a massive investment in infrastructure for Ireland but how much of the value created by this investment will accrue to Ireland? Where will the wind turbines be fabricated and assembled? Can our ports cater for turbines with rotor diameters of 240m?

We should produce electricity to a level to satisfy peak demand of electricity with excess of demand converted to green hydrogen via electrolysis. The energy resource is of such a scale that we will export; but do we export electrons or molecules? Hydrogen molecules from Ireland could replace natural gas (CH₄) for production of ammonia (NH₃) and methanol (CH₃OH)in Europe.

However, if we wish to maximise value to Ireland, should we not create new industry in Ireland?  We used to produce ammonia in Cork. We used to produce steel in Cork. We could produce green steel in a process which replaces coke with hydrogen. We could produce methanol as a decarbonised shipping fuel which would further involve capture of CO₂ from our industries, in particular biogenic CO₂ from our extensive food and beverage industry. We could utilise CO₂ separated from methane associated with our targeted 5.7 TWh biomethane industry.

This work will outline the science needed to inform policy for optimum circular economy, energy, and environmental systems to create sustainable transport fuels (for ships, trucks and planes) and chemicals (such as ammonia, methanol) and maximise value to, and decarbonisation of, Ireland. 

Date:

Thursday 26^th January 2023

Time:

13:00-14:00,

Venue:

Sustainable Futures Lab,

Iris Ashley Cummins Building, UCC

Padraig Cantillon-Murphy

Title: The Robot will see you now! 

How robotics and image-guidance are changing medicine.

Abstract: 

For over 3,000 years, surgery was performed by humans on humans. However in the past 20 years, an unprecedented growth in the use of robotics and image-guided technologies have transformed what is possible and how interventions are performed. This reliance on technology poses significant challenges for surgeons but, more interestingly, it catapults the engineer's role to the centre of the surgical theatre. Unprecedented reliance on technology means that new tools for guidance, navigation and intervention are required and the development of these tools often lag behind the existing needs of the surgeon. 

In this presentation, I will introduce the story of surgical technology and robotics, culminating in the most recent developments in robotic assisted bronchoscopy. I will outline the challenges, both technical and clinical, that these changes have brought. And I will provide an overview of the solutions that are being developed at UCC and Tyndall to address some of these challenges, particularly in relation to tool navigation using magnetic tracking technology.