PATLEHANE LEHANE PAT LEHANE PAT
Henning cheer for Mona and James Congratulations to Mona Holtkoetter and James Duff on the recent arrival of baby son Henning, who weighed in at a very healthy 3.75Kg. Rumours that he is already working on a blueprint for an innovative combined lighting/wellbeing solution could not be confirmed. Enquiries were met with a total news blackout!
Mother of invention If necessity is the mother of invention, then recent developments in the UK bear witness to that. With the ban on the installation of new gas boilers becoming effective from 2025, UK manufacturers are working feverishly to come up with alternatives. For instance, many are well advanced with the development of “hydrogen-ready” domestic boilers, while a company called Heat Wayv has announced details of a new microwave boiler. Whatever the long-term solution, these innovations are ideal in the short-term as they are designed to be direct plumbing-ready replacements. They won’t deliver the perfect solution in one go, but sometimes reality dictates that a stepped approach yields best results. Maybe something we should look at here in Ireland.
Power-eating data A recent authoritative report stated that, at the end of 2020, Ireland had 66 operational data centres, 11 under construction, 29 with planning approval and five with planning applications pending. The expected F6.7 billion spend on the construction of data centres between 2021 and 2025 is mind-boggling but fantastic news for the sector, especially building services engineering. The industry undoubtedly has the capacity, design expertise, product supply chain and knowledge base to deliver the centres. However, does Ireland Inc have the capacity to power them, and with renewable energy sources?
Virtual Energy While we’ve all imissed the learning outcomes – and indeed the social interaction – of the SEAI Energy Show, the Authority is currently preparing a virtual online show scheduled to run towards the end of April. It promises to be a dynamic event with the emphasis on short, sharp, snappy presentations, rather than long, single-focus sessions. Details should be announced shortly.
Money does grow on trees … for some! Everyone in their right mind understands that Covid is a very serious issue but, equally so, anyone with an ounce of sense must be enraged at the continued failure of the Government to deal with the crises. When initially allowed to do so, construction in Ireland proved itself an international exemplar of operating safety, despite Covid-19. The reward? – an extended period of lockdown. Meanwhile, the HSE continues to lurch from failure to failure. The penalty? – its Chief Executive gets a salary increase to a staggering F420,103 for 2020. The message is loud and clear – failure will be rewarded and success punished.
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NIMBYism to cost The Economic and Social Research Institute estimates that electricity prices in Ireland could rise by 263% if there is low public acceptance of more renewable types of energy like wind farms. If there is “moderate acceptance”, prices are calculated to rise by 14%, according to its recent report. The report details how an expansion of renewable generation capacity requires “considerable land area” and “power system upgrades”. However, public acceptance has faced “strong opposition” across many jurisdictions, it notes. I bet a further irony is that the same people who “protest” that we’re not doing enough to save the environment are the very ones who “protest” against wind farm location.
19/03/2021 15:21