Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy (CASE)

Investment in green technology and innovation will pave the path to net zero   Investment in decarbonisation and leveraging our innovation capacity in green technologies will deliver significant economic opportunities says Professor David Rooney, QUB. The comments came at today’s ‘Delivering the Economic Vision through a Net Zero Pathway’ event in the Long Gallery, Parliament Buildings, Stormont hosted by the Centre for Advanced Sustainable Energy (CASE) and sponsored by members of the Committee for the Economy. The event brought together business, industry, academia, and government one year on from the Northern Ireland Energy Summit where a recommendations pathway for a renewable future was established. Event attendees heard about the progress being made, discussed the synergies across industry and considered the barriers to unlocking opportunities for sustainable green growth. Speaking at the event, Economy Minister Conor Murphy said: “Industrial decarbonisation presents significant opportunities to enhance and rebalance economic prosperity across the region. Government cannot work in isolation to deliver net zero targets, it needs support from within the energy sector to create change. By working in collaboration, we can co-design a just and inclusive energy transition which will deliver a better, more sustainable future for all. “Creating economic wealth for local communities and reducing carbon emissions are key pillars of my Economic Vision and I am very fortunate to have the independent support of my four critical experts - Professor David Rooney, Dr David Jordan, Dr Lisa Wilson and Dr Conor Patterson to help deliver on these objectives. Today, I am committing to the establishment of a working group to urgently explore the development of a community decarbonisation pathfinder linked with local industrial decarbonisation.” DAERA Minister Andrew Muir welcomed the move as the group would focus on tackling a number of environmental challenges facing Northern Ireland stating: “As we tackle the reality of climate change, I am determined that our approach will be ambitious, transformational and fair. Achieving improved environmental sustainability is paramount. I recognise that collaboration between the Government and the private sector is key. The collective approach being taken by NI departments working with private sector companies to decarbonise the gas network by promoting biomethane as a low carbon fuel alternative whilst creating a circular economy for bioenergy and agricultural nutrients, exemplifies this. It also demonstrates how economic and social opportunities can be maximised.” The working group will explore how to unleash and fast-track the potential for renewable energy, including biomethane, to play a transformative part in meeting our climate goals and the growth of our future bioeconomy whilst attracting the necessary investment in critical infrastructure. Department for the Economy NI

Northern Ireland is well positioned to leverage its resources and geography to deliver green and sustainable growth, writes David Rooney, Professor of Chemical Engineering at Queen’s University Belfast, and academic director of CASE in a piece for AgendaNi Magazine https://lnkd.in/dYkMSTje

Great to see these research outputs shared. CASE continues to support the project team on their pathway to the development of a commercial domestic battery system which does not involve toxic or rare metals for improved sustainablility.

Great to watch and listen to Prof David Rooney map out the multiple opportunities for NI in its transition to a renewable energy future. The adoption of the energy island concept could see rapid improvements not only in energy security and resilience but open up numerous new business opportunities as part of a wider circular economy.

CASE facilitated a thought provoking and mindset altering exposure to the innovative approaches to Sustainable Energy in our island for QUB PGCE Chemistry and Physics students. Led by CASE Centre Manager Marty Doherty, the trip began with a tour around Bridge Energy Anaerobic Digestion Plant thanks to Thomas Cromie, followed by a visit to a wind turbine used as a research site and finished with a tour of the wave tank at Queen's University Marine Research Group by Dr Pal Schmitt. The students ended the day educated and motivated to bring Sustainable Energy education into their classrooms in a way that will inspire pupils to celebrate the innovative 'big picture' approaches being developed in our own localities and to pursue careers in this industry themselves.    

CASE welcomes the Minister’s commitment to growing our indigenous energy solutions, and the role this will play in boosting economic prosperity for all of NI. We also congratulate Professor David Rooney on his appointment as a critical friend on net zero. https://lnkd.in/eYbzcS48

CASE's Ian Marshall OBE was interviewed in Farming Life on Saturday on the work CASE have undertaken on the generation of biomethane from agricultural waste, improving farm incomes and addressing excess nutrients in rivers and lakes. Great article!

Members of the CASE management team along with David Rooney from Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Queen's University Belfast visited Full Circle Generation's gasification plant in the Belfast Harbour Estate. It was fastastic to get a tour of the facility and learn about the company's contribution to the energy transition.

Our business is a key enabler to achieving net zero - not only for our own power sector - but also for supporting the decarbonisation of heat and transport through electrification. During yesterday’s NI Affairs Committee our Network Investment Director, Roger Henderson, outlined where we are and what needs to be done to reach net zero as quickly as possible. This means decarbonising the power sector with more renewable energy but also expanding its capacity so more of our customers can use technologies like heat pumps and electric vehicles. The next step is agreement with the Utility Regulator NI on RP7, our business plan for 2025-2031. This plan aims to maximise the use of our resources and network so they best serve people and planet. In the meantime, we will continue to grow our team and prepare for the work ahead. Full hearing available on this link 👉 https://ow.ly/3E9950Qsf7C

Great to see Josh progress from a researcher on a CASE project to launching his own research group at Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Queen's University Belfast - applications are now open for his first PhD studentship!