Fighting the effects of Climate Change…

…contributing to a save-water charity, and protecting the first Welsh Bible… all at the same time.

Since February 2019 I am a Research Fellow in a European funded research initiative.   As a research team, we aim at building innovation competencies in the water-energy sector and reduce climate change impacts. The programme is a collaboration between Trinity College (Engineering and the Business School), and Bangor University in Wales. The researchers come from all over the World and include geologists, engineers, climatologists, environmentalists and management scientists. My role as a management researcher is to combine theory and practice – to help to develop innovation competencies within the water- energy network in Ireland and in Wales, capture what we learn about innovation practices and disseminate it to a wider audience, academics and practitioners.

This year we launched two new energy saving hydropower sites.  The first one was installed in the Blackstairs Co. Wexford, Ireland. The installation reduces energy consumption from water treatment and distribution works by 20-25%.  Cost savings resulting from the installation are donated to the “Wells for Life” Charity. This Charity helps to provide clean water sources for people in India who don’t have access to safe drinking water.

A second installation launch took place in November, in Ty Mawr, Snowdonia, Wales. Ty Mawr is a 16th Century farmhouse. It was the birthplace of Bishop William Morgan, whose translation of the Bible into Welsh in 1588 has been described as the most significant step in ensuring the survival of the language today. This time the energy generated through hydropower is set to protect 200 rare Bibles, including the first Welsh translation, from the effects of climate change. Increased rainfall and damp are affecting the manuscripts. Now the plan is to use electricity generated from a stream nearby to control humidity levels.

So, we install technology developed by the research team to combat the effects of climate change, learn how to get better at innovating and spread the knowledge at the same time.