Energy Online

Following the enormous success of a blog on the Irish economy, energy experts are hoping to attract a similar online debate on finding solutions to our energy needs

YOU MAY have all attended two- and even three-day conferences, but what about a conference that lasts three months? This is the plan for a one-day conference that will continue online until March, with full conference proceedings to be published in April.

Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) hosted a one-day “energy forum” on November 4th entitled Zero carbon Ireland – where do we want to be by 2050? However, it did not finish that day and instead it continues apace with the launch of the full, public “virtual energy forum” at localdem.org.

The site is formally launched today but has online since last month. All original conference addresses, PowerPoint presentations and discussion sessions that took place on November 4th have been published on the website, but these have also been added to with formal papers from experts, dialogue rooms and commentaries on the proceedings so far all online.

“The idea is we would have the conference for one day at DIT, then we would have a rolling conversation and get people involved in discussing the energy issues,” says Dr Norman McMillan, senior lecturer in the school of engineering at Carlow Institute of Technology.

While the one open day focuses mainly on big ticket, low-carbon energy options such as biomass, wind, wave and tidal energy, the ongoing virtual proceedings can branch out into any area of interest to those using the site.

McMillan originally came up with the idea of a virtual continuation of the energy discussions and worked on how to deliver it with Dr David Kennedy, head of mechanical engineering at DIT Bolton Street and with Brian Hurley, managing director of Wind Site Evaluation Ltd, who chaired the original energy forum. He now edits the website.

“It is a novel idea and we will keep the site running until April and then publish the proceedings,” says McMillan.

Anyone can visit the site and make comments, raise discussion issues or submit papers for possible inclusion, but this is not a charter for ranters. It is not a blog and any research paper submitted will be scrutinised by peers and must pass scientific muster.

In that regard, it is akin to the popular irisheconomy.ie, where noted economic experts and well-grounded commentators duel, raise arguments and republish articles placed elsewhere. It carries real economics from knowledgeable people and localdem.org will do the same, carrying real research delivered by knowledgeable people who can back up what they claim with solid science, says McMillan.

Yet open access is the order of the day, given that anyone can come up with a good idea. “We wanted to get a broad view of the issues,” says McMillan. “We wanted a democratic discussion among those who are knowledgeable, a properly researched contribution, not just people shooting the breeze.”

The site will be of immediate interest to scientists and engineers who can raise issues or discuss research findings, but it is also valuable for industry, companies looking for solutions or who see commercial potential coming from the research under discussion on the site, according to McMillan.

He wants these, “but also people who have practical experience in any of the issues or systems – we certainly want anybody who has an involvement in and knowledge of the energy issues raised”.

The forum, of course, is broad enough to include academics and industry but also political parties, says Kennedy. The Greens attended the original event and any party is entitled to become involved, he says.

He believes that this is the first virtual conference of its kind, with contributors asked to submit papers for possible inclusion and the public invited to comment. “We thought it was an innovative approach. I am not aware of anyone else implementing the idea.”

He also highlights the editing and peer review aspects of the site. “We will take the rants but won’t necessarily do anything with them unless they are relevant,” he says. “There will be plenty of room for well thought-out arguments in the discussion forums. It gives people a chance to make an input.”

McMillan believes the site will be of interest to the international research community, particularly Irish expats who will be entitled, along with anyone else, to participate in the energy debate. Over the coming three months it should develop into a “valuable reserve of knowledge”, he says.

Kennedy also points to the site’s value as an educational resource. Teachers looking for accurate, trustworthy information on energy issues for discussion in class, will be able to depend on this site.

He found that during the original conference, he put together dozens of ideas that could be given expression on the website. These, in turn, could provide third-level students with useful research subjects for postgraduate studies, he says.

Kennedy also believes that this approach that blends real and virtual conference activities will be used in the future. “This is the way forward I think. It gives delegates an opportunity to participate. It is a very good and a very solid idea,” he says.