Eco Evolution Blog

The annual “Practical On-farm Renewable Energy” event will be held on Tuesday 28 October at Greenmount Campus. DARD has again joined forces with the UFU, and AFBI to provide practical information for farmers and the rural sector about the various renewable energy options available for their businesses. This is a FREE event and is open to the public from 11.00am – 8.30pm. The follow-up event at CAFRE’s Enniskillen Campus will be held in February 2015.

Shane’s Castle Archimedes Screw Installation – largest single screw ever to be manufactured & first to be installed in Northern Ireland

Renewable energy technologies continue to offer significant potential to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of farm businesses through reducing and enabling additional income streams, when employed in the appropriate situation. This event seeks to assist farmers and growers with identifying which technology, if any, is appropriate for their own business (or domestic) situation. It also aims to provide information and contacts which will aid progress through the many procedures required to bring such projects to fruition.

2nd hydro scheme installed in Northern Ireland for Omagh District Council

There will be a series of seminars throughout the day highlighting local case studies of the main renewable energy technologies; wind power, heat from biomass, biomass production and utilisation, biogas production, solar PV, micro-hydro and energy storage. A second series of seminars will deal with many of issues facing those considering installing a green energy source. Topics covered will include the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), grid connection, planning, NI Renewable Obligation Certificates (NIROC’s), finance and budgeting payback.

The timing of the seminars is such that those attending can dip in and out of the seminars that interest them and spend time talking to some of the trade in the exhibition area or tour the renewable energy installations at Greenmount Campus to see some of the working technologies at first hand. There will be around 30 trade and ancillary stands providing both information on the various renewable energy technologies and guidance in overcoming any barriers to implementations.

For further details, contact David Trimble at 028 9442 6682 or david.trimble@dardni.gov.uk.

Eco Evolution offer a friendly one-stop shop for hydro development in both Ireland and the UK from feasibility studies to licensing, to installation and commissioning and everything in between!

Global Wind Day is a worldwide event that occurs annually on 15 June. It is a day for discovering wind, its power and the possibilities it holds to change our world. This year sees wind farms across Ireland hosting an array of events to celebrate wind energy. The activity dates vary and some are hosting public wind farm open-days so that families can learn about wind energy and see the turbines in operation themselves, whilst others are inviting schools for fun, games and facts on wind.

It is also a day for discovery of the work that has already begun by pioneers around the world. In more than 75 countries around the world, wind farms are in operation, generating energy from a clean and renewable source.

Thousands of individuals are involved in the production of energy from the wind, but for many people, wind energy is a mystery. Global Wind Day is the day when you can visit wind farms, meet experts, attend events and find out everything you want to know about wind energy.

The European Wind Energy Association (EWEA ) and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC ) coordinate the Global Wind Day through a network of partners. The day started as a European one in 2007 and went Global in 2009. On 15 June, thousands of public events are organised all over the world.

Global Wind Day Events around Ireland 2014. Photo Credit: IWEA

How it all began:

The Wind Day was first held in 2007, as the European Wind Day organised by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). The main idea was to connect a network of partners as well as using centralised communication tools, press releases and distribution of gadgets and coordinate of event organised by national wind energy associations and companies active in the wind energy field. The Wind Day in 2007 reached 18 countries, with a participation of around 35,000 people. By 2008, the event’s reach extended to 20 European countries and attracted 100,000 people.

In 2009, EWEA joined forces with the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) and extended the reach from European associations and companies to coordinate Wind Day events across the globe. That year, the 300 events in 35 countries across the globe reached up to 1,000,000 people.

In 2010 and 2011 between 220 and 230 events took place in around 30 countries. Since 2009, Global Wind Day has reached more than 1,000,000 people plus the thousands of people engaging and supporting the event through online means such as social media.

Last year was a great success in Ireland  with over 1000 people visiting wind farms across the country. This year sees a number of wind farms across Ireland hosting an array of events to celebrate wind energy. The activity dates vary and some are hosting family days whilst others are inviting schools for fun, games and facts on wind.

Events organised around Ireland to celebrate Global Wind Day – Irish Wind Energy Association (IWEA)

The Society of Mills and Millers of Ireland was launched in 2001 to encourage and assist in the preservation and appreciation of mills as part of our industrial, architectural and landscape heritage. There are hundreds of mills and mill sites spread across the country and while many are beautifully refurbished or put to good use, there are also many others which could be restored or renovated while preserving their traditional context. The society aims to promote interest and awareness in this aspect of Ireland’s industrial heritage by building up knowledge and expertise in areas such as law, architecture, renewable energy and manufacturing and making information available through publications, lectures and events.

This year’s Summer event is a two day event taking place on the 14th and 15th June in the lovely countryside of County Meath. It’s going to be a very active two days with visits to several local mills, Slane Castle, Kells Monastic tour, lectures, baking demonstration and much, much more. Take a look at the timetable to see the list of interesting events that have been organised.

Saturday 14th June:

Sunday 15th June:

Cost of the two day event – €35 per person  or €25 for one day
Includes: Bus transfers, Saturday lunch, visits, coffees and closing food event at Annesbrook Mill.
Dinner on Saturday evening – €25 per person

To book your place:
(A) Download a booking form and return to: Hon. Treasurer Mr John Delaney Ballingard Road, Roscommon, County Roscommon (Cheques payable to MMOI)
or
(B) Pay for the event using the PayPal secure online payment option button. Please select the number of places and the number of days from the drop down menu.

Telephone enquiries: S. Bourke (087) 9699387

A  presentation on Medieval Water Mills in Ireland will take place on Monday 10th March at 7.30pm at Engineers Ireland, 22 Clyde Road, Dublin 4.

This is a free event hosted by the Heritage Society, in association with the Civil division and the Local Government division.

Ireland currently has the largest corpus of pre-10th century water-mill sites (both horizontal and vertical-wheeled) in the world. These provide vital insights into the development of water-powered prime movers elsewhere in Europe, where sites of similar date are generally rare. Indeed, while the precursors of the modern reaction turbine can be found in late Roman Tunisia, the earliest excavated examples of horizontal water wheels with dished or scooped paddles (as found in Pelton wheels) have been excavated in Ireland.

Using recent archaeological evidence from Ireland, this talk will seek to re-evaluate the relationship between mills employing horizontal and vertical water-wheels, and will challenge the notion that vertical wheeled grain mills were necessarily more efficient and productive than mills with horizontal waterwheels.

Dr Colin Rynne BA PhD – Senior Lecturer at UCC’s Archaeology Department.

Dr Rynne has widely published on water power in medieval Ireland and Europe and on the post-medieval and industrial archaeology of Ireland.  His research interests include medieval agriculture, medieval and post-medieval iron working in Ireland and Irish industrial archaeology.  Current research interests include a study of the 17th-century colonial landscapes created in south east Munster by Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork.  He is also completing a major publication on the archaeology of waterpower in early medieval Ireland and Europe, c. AD 600-1100.

Medieval Water Mill excavated at Kilbegley, Co. Roscommon.

One of the best preserved early Medieval Water Mills in Europe was excavated in Kilbegley, Co. Roscommon in 2007. The  beautifully preserved horizontal watermill dates back to between 650–850 AD. During the excavation the remains of the whole lower floor of the mill, with its flume (the chute that carries the water), undercroft, wheel-hub, paddles and a number of other features largely intact were discovered. Artefacts that tell us about the lives of the monks and millers, like ringed-pins, bracelet fragments and leather were also found.

The excavation revealed that the millwrights and monks had an incredibly sophisticated and talented ability to survey and understand hydrological techniques, as the water from the mill came from small springs and local ground water rather than a river.

All of the structural timbers from the mill have been preserved and are currently stored with the National Museum of Ireland until a suitable location to house and display them can be found close to the place they were discovered.

Kilbegley Medieval Water Mill ~ Photo Credit Neil Jackman author of ‘The Mill at Kilbegley’

A book on the excavation ‘The Mill at Kilbegley’  authored by Neil Jackman with Caitríona Moore and Colin Rynne and edited by Tadhg O’Keefe is now available.

You can also hear the story of the mill, and all the other fascinating archaeological sites discovered in advance of the construction of the M6 by downloading the FREE audioguide – The M6 A Route Through Time.

Thank you to Neil Jackman who very kindly allowed me to include the information and photo of the excavation of Kilbegley Medieval Water Mill.

The annual “Practical On-farm Renewable Energy” event has now become a fixture in many peoples calendars following its success in previous years. The event will be held once again on Wednesday 26th February at Enniskillen Campus. This is a FREE event and is open to the public from 1.00pm – 9.00pm. DARD has again joined forces with the UFU, and AFBI to provide practical information for farmers and the rural sector about the various renewable energy options available for their businesses

1st hydro scheme to be installed in Northern Ireland and largest single screw to be ever manufactured – Shanes Castle Hydropower

2nd hydro scheme to be installed in Northern Ireland – Omagh District Council Hydropower

Renewable Energy Technology Seminar Programme

The timing of the seminars is such that those attending can dip in and out of the seminars that interest them and spend time talking to some of the trade in the exhibition area or go to see some of the working technologies at first hand. There will be around 45 trade and ancillary stands providing both information on the various renewable energy technologies and guidance in overcoming any barriers to implementations.

Renewable Energy Challenges Seminar Programme

We offer a friendly one-stop shop for hydro development in both Ireland and the UK from feasibility studies to licensing, to installation and commissioning and everything in between!

If you would like to discuss any aspect of your project prior to the show or want to arrange to meet us on the day please contact us here. We look forward to meeting you at the show.