The European Society for Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology, euspen, is delighted to announce its first Special Interest Group Workshop on Precision Engineering for Sustainable (renewable energy) Systems, with technical and commercial sessions covering Wind, Solar and Oceanic power generation and storage. Being held on the 9th and 10th October 2019, at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland.
You can find out more and register at www.euspen.eu/events/sig-sustainable-systems-2019
While there is no shortage of renewable energy systems available at ever-decreasing costs, they are not evolving fast enough to economically transition to a low carbon economy. So, the primary purpose of this workshop is to bring together people from academia, industry, and government to share experiences using precision engineering principles to help develop new ideas and manufacturing systems to reduce production and ownership costs.
Areas of interest include automated precision production of components and systems ranging from manufacture of solar cells and panels to their installation and maintenance; to ever-larger wind turbines on and offshore including in-situ manufacturing of larger scale elements; to energy storage systems from batteries to hydro power systems.
Renewable technologies take natural energy sources to generate electricity for local consumption or nationally via the grid. Fuel sources include wind, wave, marine, hydro and solar. It can also be made using sources of natural energy that are quickly replaced, such as biomass.
Renewables produce more than 20% of the UK’s electricity, and EU targets means that this is likely to increase to 30% by 2020. From 2020, renewable energy will continue to be an important part of the strategy to reduce carbon emissions. To achieve this, a range of technologies will need to be used, such as onshore and offshore wind farms, biomass power stations and/or hydropower systems.
More UK electricity is to come from zero-carbon sources than from fossil fuels this year – the first time since the industrial revolution, according to the National Grid. Green energy sources have more than doubled their contribution to Britain’s energy mix from 22.3 per cent in 2009 to 47.9 per cent in the first half of 2019.
“With the cost of renewable energy sources coming down, and onshore wind and solar power frequently cheaper than fossil fuels, we feel it is the perfect time to host this focused workshop,” states euspen’s Business Development Manager, Dishi Phillips.
