Practical Applications of Renewable Energy Technologies

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES
By Name
Course
Instructor
Institution
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Date

Introduction
Renewable energy has a major and significant role to play when it comes to lowering our
dependency on the fossil fuels, minimizing the greenhouse emissions as well as enhancing the
security of supply. In as much as the renewable energy sector has experienced rapid growth over
the last few decades with regard to developments in the technology and the other aspects, Ireland
records that just 7.8% of the energy consumed in the country us derived from renewable sources
of energy (Ruparathna, Hewage & Sadiq, 2016). A greater proportion of this energy is derived
from production of electricity through wind energy which accounts for up to 47%. In a bid to
attain the target of the country in the European Renewable Energy Directive of the 16$%
proportion of renewable energy in the total final energy consumption by the year 2020, there is
need for an even further shift.
Acknowledging the need to enhance the consumption of renewable energy in Ireland, Codema
has been one of the leading initiate of Europe dubbed Academy Champions for Energy. The
project brings together the experts that are drawn from across North West of Europe to enhance
transnational cooperation as well as coordination in the field of sustainable and renewable energy
to attain a change from our dependency on the fuels (Moreira et al., 2015).
Energy Surveys
An energy audit was carried out in the following libraries that are located in South Dublin
 Library Headquarters
 Ballyroan Library
 Lucan Library
 Castletymon Library

 Whitechurch Library
 Clandalkin Library
The survey was mainly based in level 1 walk and are in line with the stipulations and methods as
detailed in the Energy Efficiency Directive, ISO50001, EN 16247-1 (Energy Audits) as well as
the relevant ASHRAE and CIBSE guides. The surveys were carried out within a period of 30
days (Schulze et al., 2016).
Facilities’ details
A summary of the construction details, the main uses of energy as well as the types of HVAC are
shown in the table below
Premises Area
(m2)
Construction Type and
Levels of Insulation
HVAC & Energy
Castletymon 460 Solid concrete with metal
roof. Insinuated
 PCs, office equipment and
kitchen
 Old oil boiler having radiators.
No controls
 Lighting of the main fluorescents
Library HQ 364 Solid brick. Insulated
steel roof
 Lighting of the main primary T8
fluorescents
 Storage heaters. Split systems in
the offices located in the upstairs
Lucan 650 Cavity wall. Insulated
roof
 Lighting of the main primary T8
fluorescents
 Gas boiler that is 15 years olds
and thermostats. Toshiba split
system in deployed in the cooling
during summer
Ballyroan 1630 Heavily insulated.
Energy efficient building
with controlled
ventilation having an A3
energy rating
 BMS control
 Geothermal heat up pump, gas
fired condensing boiler as well as
solar thermal
 Lighting of the main primary T8
fluorescents
Clandalkin 364 Uninsulated solid brick.  Lighting of the main primary T8